Danielle
by RYCBAR24601
Summary: Sort of split up into two parts: Part 1: Regina learns how to be a mother and deals with Cora's plans for her (Cora is still around after her marriage to Leopold) Part 2: A battle between a Mother's Love and Rumplestiltskin's magic.
1. Chapter 1

_Dear Diary,_

_Today is my thirteenth birthday. I am told that that means that I am no longer a girl and that I should focus on my future. I am told a lot of things. Mother says that I will be queen. She says that I will wear beautiful gowns and have loyal subjects. Father says that I should just be happy, but I don't know if I know how to be that._

_So I guess I will be queen._

Regina felt the ink under her finger tips that had begun to fade beneath the already yellowing pages. Had it been that long since she had written those words? Ten years. A decade, and in them she had found the happiness that her father had hoped for her only to have it ripped from her by Snow White, whose father she was now married to. Regina read the words again. She was queen, this was true; but she was still told a lot of things.

The door to her bedroom burst open drawing her back to the present. Her mother strode in confidently, almost as if it was her room that she was entering and not her daughter's. Regina may have become queen but it was quite clear that Cora was not her subject. Her father walked behind her slowly weighed down by years of guilt and fear and stopped a few steps past the threshold.

"Aren't you ready? dinner is to be served in minutes and it is all for you, you shouldn't be late." Her mother spoke in a harsh tone.

Regina closed the cover of her diary and stroked its leather cover, trying to gain some sort of strength from her past before taking a deep breath and looking up, "a Queen is not late."

"A Queen should be respectful of a schedule…now look at you. It is your birthday, you could put in some effort." She waved her hands and through a cloud of smoke appeared a necklace with a thick gold chain and a large pendant that glimmered with a dark blue stone.

"This should help. Now come here and try it on." Regina sighed and pushed herself off her bed moving to stand by her mother and turned around holding up her hair as her mother secured the necklace around her neck and lead her over to the mirror. "Much better, you almost look presentable." With another wave of Cora's hands Regina's hair was secured in a loose bun with diamond studded hair pins only a few locks hung freely, left to frame her face. Cora just looked at her and gave a nod, proud of her work. "Now hurry down, we're all waiting for you."

Regina nodded, "in a moment."

"A short moment," Cora looked at her seriously, waiting for some sign of acknowledgment. Regina nodded again and at this Cora left, leaving Henry standing by the door.

"Happy Birthday Regina" he said.

"Thank you Father."

"So are you going to tell me what is weighing so heavily on your mind?"

"I don't know what you mean" Regina answered as she smoothed out her dress, looking herself over in the mirror.

"You were reading your diary, you only do that when you have something on your mind."

"It's nothing." Regina said with a half-hearted shrug.

"Is that so?" Her father prompted. Regina wrung her hands together and looked up at her father nervously. "It's not nothing."

Regina shook her head, "not quite."

Henry walked over to where she was standing and took her hands, looking her in the eye. "Scared you're getting older?"

Regina chuckled at that, "no it's not that."

"What then?"

Regina took another deep breath and a gave a crooked smile before admitting, "I'm going to have a child."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Thanks for the follows and the reviews. Please keep the reviews coming, it is always good to know that people like what I am writing. But even better than that is constructive criticism I know that I am not the best writer out there and would love to improve so if you have some notes for me don't be scared to put them in the reviews for to PM me. **_

_**Enjoy.**_

* * *

"You won't be able to keep it a secret much longer my dear. I understand why you wanted to keep in quiet at first but...Regina this is good news. Not something to keep hidden."

"I know Father." Regina said as she paced back and forth in the library. It was the one place that she knew no one would wander in, besides her father who practically lived there. Henry lived off of books as if they were as necessary as the air that he breathed, plus the Library always offered some solace and time away from Cora.

"You're holding something back from me again I can tell."

Regina stopped her pacing and turned to look at her father, a hand resting on the bulge in her stomach that the layers of fabric of her gown were starting to fail to hide. "I'm scared Father."

"Oh Regina. You have nothing to be scared of; this child is going to have all that it could dream of, including a fantastic mother. After all, you already are one."

"What?"

"The way you are with Snow. She is lucky to have you and so is this child."

Regina's face hardened at the mention of Snow's name. "Yes Snow...such a charming child," her tone turning icy as she lingered over the word charming.

"And this child will be too." Her father responded. For a man who seemed to know Regina's every mood there was still one feeling that he was blind to, her great dislike for the girl named Snow. "But you need to let the world know that this child is coming so that arrangements can be made."

"Arrangements?" Regina asked nervously.

Henry simply shrugged, "things like this always call for arrangements, besides how much longer do you think you can hide that bump?"

Regina paused and looked down at her growing stomach and her father smiled. "You touch it more than you think you know?"

Regina quickly moved her hands away and smiled, "you are probably right, I will make the announcement tonight at dinner."

"This is something to be celebrated Regina."

"I know." Regina said, with a genuine smile.

* * *

The silence that was common to the dinners seemed so much heavier to Regina that day, almost as if it were palpable.

"Cora, is the soup to your liking tonight?" asked the King, who always tried to warm the place with conversation, but more often than not failed.

"Oh yes Leopold it is lovely...a bit salty if I am completely honest."

"Well we will have to do something about that."

Cora just nodded as the group continued through their course.

"Actually there is something that I would like to say if you all don't mind." Regina said as she set down her spoon and dabbed at the corners of her mouth with her napkin.

"What is it dear?" Cora responded before anyone else could get a word in.

"Well the thing is..." Regina started to answer quietly.

"Please speak up, if you have an announcement to make you want us all to be able to hear it don't you?"

"Well the thing is I am going to have a child." Regina announced louder and more confidently this time.

Silence filled the dining hall, not the common silence of having nothing to say but the silence of not knowing what to say. The sound of Leopold's spoon clinging against his bowl echoed around the chamber and seemed to reverberate for hours before Snow finally broke the silence.

"I am going to be a sister?" Her voice was filled with joy and expectation.

"Well yes I suppose you are." Regina answered.

"Is it going to be a boy or a girl?" She asked quickly.

"Well I don't know I will just have to wait."

"It doesn't matter if it is a boy or a girl, either will be wonderful. This really is wonderful news Regina." Leopold answered.

Regina sighed, "I glad you think so." She looked over to her mother but Cora said nothing and just looked at her as if she had known all along.

"It really is wonderful." Snow spoke up again. "I've always wanted a sibling we will have so much fun together." With every word that Snow spoke it seemed as if she was more filled with joy, and with each joy filled word Regina felt as if her heard was being squeezed painfully tight.

"Yes dear that is lovely." she mustered.

"Oh Regina I am so happy." Snow said as she leaped out of her chair and gave Regina a hug.

Regina pushed her away gently, "Thank you Snow, but I'm afraid I am not feeling so well if you would all excuse me." She stood up shakily and started to make her way out of the room, Snow's happiness starting to be too much for her. This child that she was carrying was good and to be celebrated; but it was for her, not as a present or a playmate for Snow.

Leopold stood up quickly, "are you alright? Should I send for a doctor?"

"No I am sure it is nothing, I'll just go lay down." She made her way half way to her room before pausing in the hallway to catch her breath. It didn't take long for her to hear the familiar footsteps of her mother.

"I told them I would come to make sure you were alright, you really do have to work on keeping your calm around Snow she is your daughter after all."

"Step daughter" Regina corrected.

"That isn't important now. You've done well."

"What?"

"The child, it is wonderful. Now if it is a boy it is bound to be the heir and then your position as Queen with surely be secure."

"Secure?"

"Well you know, things can happen, I wouldn't predict anything, but if you were the mother of the heir to the throne now that could do wonders."

"Well I guess we will just have to wait and see." answered Regina.

"We could...or I could help."

"Help?" Regina asked, hoping that Cora was not implying what she thought. Cora simply answered by raising her hands in a way that Regina was so accustomed to by now. "No." Regina answered confidently, turning her body away from Cora.

"No?" Cora was almost surprised, her daughter so seldom stood up to her.

"You will not use magic against this child, do you understand?"

"But it is for you, for the child." Cora tried to reassure her.

"You will not use magic on this child." Regina answered again in a harsh tone.

Cora lowered her hands, "you won't always be saying that, children are difficult."

"But this child will not suffer at the hands of magic, I make that decision."

"Suffer?" Cora asked.

As the words escaped her mouth a pain spread over Regina's back as if she had been it with a hammer. She grimaced and clung to the wall for some sort of support.

"I told you no magic." Regina said angrily through clenched teeth. "What have you done?"

"Nothing I've done nothing."

"Then what is happening to me?" Regina asked with a mix of confusion and fear.

"I don't know it shouldn't be happening this soon."

"What shouldn't be happening?"

"Nothing...come dear lets lie you down."

Regina made her way over to her mother just as Snow rounded the corner. "I just came to see if you wanted dessert?" she asked her voice tapering off at the end. "Is Regina alright?"

"Yes she is fine dear" Cora answered, "but tell your father that it might be best to call for the Doctor, quickly now."

At Cora's command Snow turned around and ran from where she came.

* * *

"I have to stay in bed until the baby comes?" Regina asked surprised.

"I think that is best, we want to keep the both of you healthy." the Doctor answered.

"It will be fine, I'll make sure you are well taken care of." Leopold answered.

"And I can help." Snow chimed in.

Cora reached down and stroked Regina's hand. "We won't let anything bad happen to either one of you.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews please keep them coming and to answer a question, Cora actually has not done anything. Like I said before what I want more than anything is constructive criticism**

** which you can leave in the reviews or PM me. I know I am not the best writer and I want to improve. **

**I try to post a new chapter every day, which gets hard during the week which is why I missed yesterday. I didn't want to miss today as well so I split what was going to be Chapter 3 into 2 parts. So here is the first part. **

**Enjoy**

* * *

Regina rested her hand of cards on her now very swollen stomach as she allowed herself to close her eyes for a moment. Even though she had spent the majority of the past few months in bed she had been feeling very lethargic recently. In addition a dull pain was starting to grow in her lower back and stomach that she found she could escape from when she closed her eyes, even if it only was for a moment.

"Regina honey it is your turn."

Regina opened her eyes and saw that her father had just played and was now looking at her impatiently. After all Hearts was his favorite game and Regina knew no one else who could shoot the moon quite as masterfully as her father could. She picked up her hand and looked down at it before asking, "What is the suit?"

"Clubs" Snow answered. Regina looked down at her hand and saw no clubs so instead she laid down a heart.

"You have no clubs Regina?" Cora asked.

"No mother, but I do have hearts, hence my move. I do know how to play this game."

"You do not need to take that tone with me." Her mother answered in her usual harsh way.

Regina simply closed her eyes and leaned back against the head rest again.

"Regina are you alright" Henry asked.

Yes Father I am fine, just tired." Henry nodded and accepted her small lie and allowed the game to continue.

Regina felt Snow's small fingers poking at her leg; "it is your turn again, the suit is diamonds this time." Regina picked up her cards again but dropped them a moment later when it felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer and hit her hard on the back.  
"Regina?" Her father looked worried, the card game completely gone from his mind. Her mother instinctively raised her hands ready with magic at a moment's notice. Snow jumped off of the bed and looked at the group, unsure of whether she should stay or leave.

Once Regina left like she had control of her body again she managed to say, "Snow go and fetch the midwifes and the doctor"

"Is it time for my brother or sister?" Snow asked hopefully.

"Yes I think so."

And with that Snow ran from the room. It wasn't much longer before Regina felt her body taken over by pain again.

* * *

It had been hours of pain and screaming and it seemed to Regina as if no progress had been made. The midwives assured her that it was almost time. It was just them and Regina left in her room now, no doctor, no family, just the mother to be and the midwives. Regina had requested it to be that way once her mother started to get too controlling and it was quite obvious that the midwifes were the only ones experienced.

Every moment felt labored now; every readjustment took energy from Regina that no longer existed.

"One more now, push" The midwives urged.

Regina took one deep breath and put everything she had into one thought, one goal.

She heard cries only and moment later and felt true happiness for the first time she could remember since being in Daniel's arms.

But the pain had not stopped and Regina could sense that something was wrong.

"It's a girl" was the last thing she heard before a cloud invaded her consciousness and she was alone with her dreams.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Sorry for the short chapter. And just as a warning it maybe a few days before the next chapter. Also I am a bit out of ideas of what to do until the baby is five, where I have plans of where to pick back up. So if you have any ideas let me know and then maybe I will use them. As always I appreciate reviews and constructive criticism. Tell me what you don't like so that I can work on improving that. Tell me in either PM's or reviews, if you are more comfortable with one. **_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

"It's a beautiful day" Daniel said absent-mindedly as he stroked Regina's head as he sat propped up against the large sturdy oak tree. Regina lay against him and ran the long grass through her fingers.

"What?" She asked, not quite catching his statement.

"I said it's a beautiful day not a cloud in the sky."

Regina nodded, "yes, but clouds do make the sky so much more interesting to look at."

"Then let's go find some sky with cloud's in them." Daniel answered

"And where would we find that?"

"Anywhere, everywhere; we can look until we find the most interesting sky. Let's just go."

"What do you mean?"

"Come away with me, we could have so much more than stolen hours."

"You know…I would but I can't."

"You still won't leave your mother will you?" Daniel asked with a knowingly disappointed tone.

Regina looked back up at the sky but suddenly in faded and turned black as she heard voices, other voices than Daniel's.

"Regina! Regina!" The midwives called.

She opened her eyes slowly and remembered the last moments that occured in her actual life. She was now a mother.

"Where is she?" Regina asked, surprised at how hoarse her voice was.

"Just waiting for you, gave us a bit of a fright there, but we handled it."

"I want to see her." But just as she was getting the sentence out a baby was brought to her and placed in her arms. Regina smiled looking down at her, she truly was beautiful, the fairest in all the land to be sure.

"What happened to me?"

"It was a hard labor…and you lost more blood than usual. Birth can be harder and more dangerous on some women than others. Shall we invite the others in?"

Regina looked down at the bundle in her arms. She wanted the moment to last forever to be just theirs. "Yes I suppose you can."

One of the women walked over to the door and opened it and after seconds it seemed that the room was full. Her mother was the first by her side, looking down at the baby.

"It looks healthy…is it a?" Cora asked getting right to the point

"It's a girl" Regina answered.

"Oh, that's lovely." But Regina could hear the disappointment in her mother's voice.

"What will you call her?" Her father asked.

"I was thinking Eva." Leopold answered.

"Oh for mother, she would like that so." Snow answered in a sweet voice.

"I think so too my dear" Leopold answered smiling down at Snow.

"I'm so glad to have a sister." Snow said as she made her way over to Regina and the child with her father. "Hello Eva" she as she gently stroked the baby's small hand.

"No" Regina said as she pulled the baby back slightly.

"What is it?" Leopold asked.

"She won't be called Eva."

"Well what then?"

"Danielle. She will be called Danielle."

Snow looked at Regina confused for a moment before looking down at her sister again. "That is a lovely name as well" Leopold answered.

"Well, hello then Danielle. Welcome to the family." Snow answered.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Thanks so much for your input from the last chapter with ideas. I would still be happy to hear more, as well as more constructive criticism (I'm not going to stop asking). To answer a question Daniel is not the father, this story starts 1-2 years after Regina's marriage to the King. Regina just named her after him in honor of his memory (and possibly because of that dream she was having). _**

**_I hope you enjoy the next chapter._**

* * *

"I can take her from here" said a young woman dressed in plain garbs and a white smock.

"And who are you?" asked Regina, holding her daughter closer to her.

"The nurse" The young woman responded.

"Nurse?" Regina was for some reason puzzled by this response.

"Yes, I can take Danielle from here; it will give you some time to rest" Answered the nurse reassuringly.

"I am fine, you may go." Regina said dismissively.

"But…."

"Your services are not required. I can care of her."

"But your majesty…when will you sleep? When will you rest?"

"What is your name?"

"Bridget" The woman answered, surprised at what seemed like a strange turn in the conversation.

"Bridget, have you cared for a child before?" Regina asked, already knowing the answer. They would not send an inexperienced nurse to care for a princess.

"Yes your majesty."

"And when did you sleep when you cared for them?" Regina asked.

"Well when the children slept."

"Then I will sleep when she sleeps, and care for her always." Bridget looked at her astounded. "Bridget, you may go. I will call for you if your services are needed."

The young woman gave a small curtsy and left. A bit more rattled than when she came in, she had never had an experience like that with a new mother before. She was so busy looking at her feet that she did not notice Cora entering the room with a confident stride and a vase full of flowers in her hands.

"Watch where you are walking!" Cora said loudly, her voice stopping Bridget in her path before she made the mistake of running into the Queen's mother.

"I'm so sorry please excuse me." Bridget said quickly, before hurrying around Cora and out of the room.

"Well who was that?" Cora asked as she set down the vase on a table in the center of the room.

"That was Bridget." Regina answered matter of factly, "what are those for?"

"I thought it could help to bring some color to this place."

Regina looked around and had to agree. The bouquet of yellow flowers certainly did brighten up the place. Except for the deep purple of her bedspread and forest green of the rug covering a large portion of the floor the room was mainly grey. The color of the stone that so sturdily build the room and that elegantly curved around itself but none the less was devoid of color and life.

"Yes, thank you they are lovely." Regina answered.

"Now who is Bridget?" Cora asked again.

"Oh yes Bridget…she is the nurse." Regina answered before diverting her attention to Danielle who was now stirring in her arms.

"That woman is meant to take care of a child?" Cora asked.

"Mother, I am sure that she is more than capable" Regina interrupted, for some reason she felt compelled to defend the woman.

"Well if she is so capable, why was she leaving?"

"Danielle doesn't need a nurse, she has me, and I will care for her."

"Oh my dear" Cora responded in a condescending tone, "you're not expected to do all of that, the nurse is to help."

"And why do I need help?" Regina asked.

"You need to rest" Cora said quite firmly, a hint of concern peeking through her voice. Regina looked at her confused by her mother's sudden change in tone. "The midwives talked to me about the delivery Regina, you almost died."

"They are exaggerating it was just…"

"Midwives don't lie Regina, they may have toned down the truth to keep you calm but you very well could have died earlier today and I can't have that. So please rest, if you won't let Danielle…we'll talk about the name later…have a nurse then give her to me, I will look after her for a little while."

"Fine...she can have a nurse."

"Regina…please." Cora said in a tone that bordered on desperation; she didn't want to be locked out of her granddaughter's life and could feel it happening. Regina couldn't remember the last time her mother ever told her please.

"For now the two of you can watch her together, could you go and get Bridget please."

Cora turned and headed out of the door and returned shortly later with Bridget who seemed ever more nervous than she had when she had left.

"Bridget, I have decided that I would like some rest and that you can watch Danielle for now. My mother would like some time with her granddaughter so she will be with you for some time."

"Yes your majesty" Bridget replied and she moved forward to take Danielle.

Regina handed her over slowly, watching her the whole time. "And Bridget, please do call me Regina, if you are going to be caring for my child you can at least call me by my name."


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry it has taken me so long to upload a new chapter. A busy new job and life have gotten in the way and it took a lovely reviewer to remind me that I should probably return to the story. It is a short chapter but with possible hints of what is to come. Please review, it is nice to know that people are reading my story. And as I have said in previous chapters although nice comments are nice, constructive ones are much more helpful. You can PM me those as well. Thanks and enjoy!**

* * *

Regina reached out her hands and gently caught onto Danielle's wrist to secure her as she wobbled, struggling to stand on two legs and move at the same time. She had mastered taking five steps but the sixth always gave her trouble.

"You know if you stopped catching her she might actually be able to go a little farther." Cora's voice interrupted Regina's trance and sole concentration on her child.

"She was going to fall, I don't want her hurt." Regina countered

"She was wobbling, one year olds wobble, she might have wobbled onto that sixth step that you're always going on about, now were you even listening to me?"

"About the wobbling…yes mother I listen to you."

"No about the dinner, I was just saying that for the feast in honor of Danielle's birthday I have decided we shall have three pigs and some pheasants."

"Oh mother…didn't you know. Danielle is not that fond of pheasants."

"Regina be serious please. There is something else that I have been meaning to talk to you about."

"And what is that mother?" Regina asked as she picked up Danielle who was starting to fuss and gently bounced her on her knee.

"BRIDGET" Cora called her voice shrill, only upsetting Danielle more.

"Mother" Regina said in annoyance. But it only took moments for Bridget herself to be at Cora's side. It was more than clear that it was Danielle's grandmother she served, and not the child or the mother herself.

"Please take Danielle, I expect she needs cleaning or feeding or something."

Bridget simply nodded at Cora before shuffling over were Regina sat with her child and held out her arms. Regina shot Cora a pointed look before sighing and handing her child over.

"Is that really necessary mother, I am perfectly capable of caring for her too."

"Yes so you say. But we have a more important manner to discuss."

"And what would that be?"

"It has been a year since Danielle was born and still you don't seem like you are making any effort to have another child."

"I don't want another child."

"But the King must want more. An heir, a male heir. Regina you could provide him with an heir and then your spot, our spot will be secure forever."

"I suspect he does but, why should I risk it."

"You would be taking the throne away from Snow."

Regina sighed. She felt a burning of hatred for Snow inside of her this was true. Even though the girl was so gentle with Danielle who did seem to be favorable towards her sister; but that would not change the fact that that charming girl was responsible for the greatest loss in her life. And Cora knew this and took advantage of this darkness in Regina every chance she could. Twisting at it, kindling the flames, and Regina knew this and tried with every ounce of her being to fight it.

"I could die." Regina answered pushing thoughts of Snow out of her mind, "I talked to the midwives about Danielle's labor and they said it did almost kill me, and another could very well kill me as well."

"But I should help with that."

"You can't control everything mother."

"I think I can"

"I won't leave Danielle without a mother, and only her other family to care for her."

"Regina" her mother said harshly, sensing an insult hidden somewhere in her last statement.

"The conversation is over mother, now I am going to go and check on the state of the pheasants."


	7. Chapter 7

**As always, thank you for your patience. I have actually started work on another OUAT story entitled Dynamite. Since I am working on them both I would like some feedback as to which I should give priority to writing and updating so I will be including a link to a survey at the end.**

**Please do review, since I am writing this as I go I can really use the comments that you give me to improve the story in the future. Plus I just love hearing what people think. I hope you like it.**

* * *

The sun beamed down field as Regina bent down and adjusted her daughter's cap, trying the best she could to keep the sun out of Danielle's eyes. Not that Danielle was to cooperating, she simply squirmed anxious to continue the walk.

"Pony" she said. Regina stepped back, surprised to understand the words that were coming out at her daughter's mouth.

"What was that darling?"

"Pony, we go to see pony."

"Yes, we will go to see the pony."

"Now?"

"Yes." Regina was still in shock and moved to adjust Danielle's bonnet once more before she was interrupted again.

"PONY NOW!"

"Ok, yes, pony now."

Regina stood up and took Danielle's hand again and looked over at her father with a look of shock.

"I told you there was no need to worry some kids just need more time than others."

"But Bridget said that most children speak months before and that wasn't just a word…that was a sentence."

"You have an intelligent little girl my dear what can I say."

Regina smiled. "Did you hear that darling your grandpa thinks you are intelligent."

"Papa I want to go to pony NOW." Danielle insisted yet again.

"And so we shall my darling" Regina said as she started to walk forward again, glancing back at her father once more with a smile wider than she'd given in quite some time.

* * *

**_Two years later_**

"You're sure you want to ride on your own, I can always ride with you."

"Mommy I am almost four, plus grandpa said he thought I was ready."

"Grandpa doesn't know everything darling" Regina said as she double checked the saddle straps for the third time.

"How old were you when you rode by yourself for your first time mommy?"

"I was…I can't remember." Regina said, smiling down at her daughter.

"You were three Regina, the same age Danielle is now, she will be fine." Henry answered.

"Well…that was an entirely different situation." Regina countered

"Francis thinks that she is ready" Henry responded back.

"And what kind of qualification does he have?" Regina asked.

"He has been master of this stable for nearly 20 years."

"Francis you really think Danielle can handle riding on her own?" Regina asked, turning to the man who had been cleaning the horses stalls on the other side of the stable quietly during the entire conversation.

"Yes your majesty, but she won't really be alone. We will all be close by."

"Mommy can I ride the pony now?" Danielle asked slightly pulling on Regina's dress.

"Yes, of course you can." Regina said as she reached down and picked Danielle up and placed her on the horse. Before walking around front and grabbing the reins and leading the small horse out of the stable.

"Are you holding on tightly?"

"Yes mommy."

"And you remember everything that I thought you."

"Yes mommy, now let go. The horse needs to know to trust me."

"Where did you get so smart, I'll be right here." Regina answered as she slowly backed up and watched her daughter trot in circles all by herself.

Henry walked up and stood by his daughter, "I think I was just as nervous when you rode for your first time, but you became a natural."

"I supposed you are right, she will be fine." Regina answered, trying to persuade herself more than anyone else.

"Of course your mother thought it was crazy for you to riding in the first place."

"Yes, it was too unlady like, she did have her opinions didn't she?"

"And she still does." Henry answered.

"What do you mean by that?"

"She thinks that you are spending too much time with Danielle."

"She is my daughter…surely she must understand that."

"Perhaps she does. But she just wants the best for you two. There are other people to care for Danielle, Bridget and Francis for example."

"Oh Father, not you too, what would I do with the time I spend with Danielle?"

"Focus more on being the Queen."

"What does that even mean…Father I must admit sometimes I think that things would be so much simpler if I were not Queen, just a mother."

"Regina do not say such things, Danielle is happy here."

"Yes I suppose you are right…"

In the distance a branch broke beneath of the weight of an unseen figure who walked away for the private conversation between father and daughter.

* * *

_**As I said before here is a link to a survey so you can let me know which story I should be focusing on more Danielle or Dynamite. Thanks for reading.**_

_** s/3K7FDZK**_


	8. Chapter 8

**One year later**

Danielle walked slowly through the castle's halls, dragging her fingers across the roughly hewn stone walls, occasionally veering off to follow the trail of the smoother mortar.

"Danielle darling." Cora's voice came from down the hall, "where are you going?"

"For a walk, mommy is getting ready and then we were going to go and play a game" She answered.

Cora looked her granddaughter up and down, she was wearing linen trousers and loose blouse with and long leather jacket that almost reached the floor. Her hair was in two braids falling neatly on each side of her head. She looked just like a young Regina.

"Well would you like to come and wait with me in my chambers, we can play our own game."

Danielle shrugged and walked over to where Cora was standing before taking her grandmother's out stretched hand and following her around the corner.

Cora's chambers somehow seemed to be the most elegant in the whole castle. Tapestries covered nearly every wall, except for where a large mirror hung. Her bed seemed to be as big as a lake, with a deep blue bedspread that seemed to glisten. But Danielle's favorite part of the room was the music box that sat on the bedside table. Her eyes always seemed drawn to it when she entered the room.

"Go ahead darling, you can play it if you want." Cora said, clearly used to the child's desires.

Danielle walked carefully over to where it stood and spun the key five times before releasing it. She watched in awe as the small figures danced before she closing her eyes and letting herself sway to the music. Losing herself in the notes that seemed to wrap her in a warm embrace. It took the feeling of her grandmother's hands on her shoulders to rip her away.

"So what do you say to a game?" Cora asked.

"What kind of game?"

"I was thinking that we could play dress up, you could wear a beautiful gown and put pearls in your hair."

"But I don't have any gown's here. Mommy keeps them all so I don't dirty them."

"Oh, don't worry about her" Cora countered, "I can make my own."

"Make your own?" Danielle was confused.

"Would you like to see?" Cora asked.

"Yes please" Danielle said, wide eyed and with wonder.

"Come here my dear" Cora said leading her in front of the mirror. "Pick a color, any color."

"Green" Danielle said, closing her eyes and thinking of the color of the grass.

"Bippidi-boppidi-boo" Cora said in a sing song showy voice as she waved her hands in an elegant dance.

A mist seemed to engulf Danielle and the clothes that she was wearing were transformed into an emerald gown and sparking slippers appeared on her feet.

Danielle stood in awe for a moment before turning around, "Tell me how you did that!"

"Magic" Cora answered in almost a whisper. "Now come on lets work on your hair.

They sat down on the bed and Cora started to gently undo her braids. "Danielle, would you like to play more games, have another playmate?" Cora asked.

"I have Snow, we play sometimes." Danielle answered innocently.

"Yes she is a very good big sister isn't she?"

Danielle nodded enthusiastically.

"But wouldn't you like to be a big sister?" Cora asked as she ran a brush through Danielle's hair.

"A big sister?" Danielle asked not quite understanding.

"You could be just like Snow, with a little brother." Cora said, trying to explain.

Danielle's eyes became wide again, "Can you make me a little brother like you made me this dress grandma?"

Cora chuckled slightly, "No, you are going to have to ask your mother about that."

"I will ask mommy, she usually gives me what I want."

"Yes…yes, she does." Cora answered before a loud knock on the door interrupted them.

"Mother have you seen Danielle, she has wandered off again" Regina's voice came from the other side of the door.

Cora walked over calmly to the door and opened it to reveal a frantic Regina, "so have you seen her?" she asked again.

"Yes dear, she is in here, we were just talking." Cora answered.

Regina walked into the room, "Danielle don't wander off like that you had mommy very worried…what are you wearing."

"Grandma and me played dress up and she made me this dress."

Regina gave a halfhearted smile, "where are your other clothes?"

"They turned into these, it was magic."

"Danielle go with Bridget she is just outside, Mommy needs to have a talk with Grandma."

"Mommy?" Danielle asked.

"Yes my darling?"

"Can I have a little brother?"

"We will talk about that later, go with Bridget now and then soon we can go on our adventure times."

Danielle smiled and walked out of the room to find Bridget waiting in the hall. Regina slowly walked over to the door and closed it before turning back to her mother.

"I told you never to use magic on my child." She said, a small fury burning inside of her.

"Regina don't be ridiculous it was just a game."

"It was magic and I won't allow it around my child, it may start off as a game but…I do not need to justify myself."

"Regina, you are being ridiculous."

"Am I? And where did Danielle get an idea about wanting a little brother?"

"She is a lonely girl."

"She is not lonely she has me, we are enough. Now I am going to go and get her changed so we can go and play."

"In pants?" Cora scoffed, "it as if you don't want her to be a lady, you could have a son you know, you don't have to turn her into one."

"STOP IT WITH THE SON THING." Regina yelled before taking a deep breath and continuing a little more calmly. "I will not have you twisting my words or actions. She was wearing pants because she wanted to, and we are going to play outside and it is more practical. I want her to be who she wants to be. And she will find that without magic."

"She quite enjoyed the gown and she looked beautiful you must admit, ask her she will tell you she had fun." Cora said, seemingly un-phased by Regina's anger.

"She is four, she doesn't understand things like magic and what it can become. This conversation is over. Goodbye mother."

Without waiting for Cora's response Regina turned around and walked out the door slamming it behind her.

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Sorry for all the time skips, but I think they are necessary for the story. I should have a chance to update this a lot this weekend. But I would love to have some more reviews in before I do that. With what you liked or what you didn't like. Anything helps. Also PM me, I love talking to people about my work.


	9. Chapter 9

**I hope you enjoy this chapter. I have the next chapter written. It is a pretty long one, and I will upload it soon. I would just like to get a couple of reviews on this chapter first. That is all I've really got to say. Feel free to send me constructive criticism or to PM me.**

**Special thanks to EvilRegalTwinnies who has been very helpful in talking through this story with me.**

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Regina made her way through the gardens after dinner, taking in the even edges of the hedges and the naturally perfumed air.

"I love the petunias what about you?" came a question from behind her. Regina turned her head to see Leopold walking quite briskly to catch up with her. She stood and waited.

"Ah Leopold, I did not expect to see you out here tonight" Regina answered.

"Well I was hoping to find you." Leopold answered, holding out his arm to Regina. Regina simply raised her eyebrows in surprise before accepting his arm and turning back to continue her walk.

"Is that so?" Regina answered, not sure what else to say.

"I was talking with Danielle earlier today, she is growing up so quickly isn't she?"

"Yes" Regina answered, a genuine smile spreading across her face.

"I remember when Snow was her age, she was so precocious, so full of questions. You could hardly keep up with her."

"Well she has grown up nicely too, she is nearly a woman now." Regina replied.

At that a genuine smile grew upon Leopold's face as well. "Do you want to know what Danielle asked me today?"

"Of course, I love hearing about her." Regina answered with a slight chuckle.

"Danielle asked me when she was going to get a little brother."

Regina paused, "honestly I don't know how some of those ideas get into her head."

"But it got me thinking, how much I really would like a son. Someone who will carry on the family name, who I can teach the things I know."

"You want a son?" Regina asked, making sure this wasn't all part of some bad dream.

"Yes, I really think I do."

"You have never expressed any desire before." She replied, her voice becoming more cold and less expressive with every word.

"I am not getting any younger dear, and, well, aging makes you look at your life differently, at what you have and what you want, while there is still time."

"Are you ill?" Regina asked.

"No, not that I am aware of; but I will soon be an old man and I want to complete my family while there is still time, so what do you think?"

"What do I think?"

"Of trying to have a son?"

"Well it is something to consider…but at another time. I am not feeling well I think that I should go in." Regina answered, wanting to escape this conversation before it got too out of hand.

"Of course my dear, should I walk you in, would you like me to call a doctor?"

"No, that is not necessary; I think I just need to lie down, good night."

_The King wanted a son. No thanks to her mother, the idea was planted in her daughter's head. Which of course would get back to her father, Danielle was such a talkative child. And if the King wanted another child, it would happen. You don't say no to a King._

* * *

**Four Months later**

"MOMMY IT IS MY BIRTHDAY" Danielle yelled as she ran into the room and leaped onto Regina's bed.

"Sorry I tried to stop her, but you know how she can be and today is her birthday." Bridget's quiet voice came from the background.

"That is quite all right Bridget." Regina answered as she sat up and pulled Danielle into a large hug.

"And so my darling do you feel any different now that you are five?" Regina asked.

"Not really" Danielle answered, "what does five feel like?"

Regina sat and thought for a moment, "I can't remember, you will just have to tell me, but why don't you go and get dressed and then we can have your birthday breakfast."

"Can't I have a present before I go?" Danielle asked, looking up with large eyes.

"I guess so" Regina answered pulling Danielle in close to her as she whispered something in her ear.

Danielle pulled back and looked at Regina with awe. "Really?"

"Yes, my darling would I lie to you, and on your birthday of all days, now go get dressed."

"Thank you Mommy" Danielle said giving Regina a hug before she jumped off of the bed and ran out of the room and through the hall back to her room shouting, "I'M GOING TO BE A BIG SISTER!"

Regina hardly had time to get out of bed before her mother walked into her room.

"Wow, I am getting a lot of visitors this morning" Regina said.

"Well that is one way to make a birth announcement" Cora replied.

"What?" Regina asked.

"Danielle, I think the whole kingdom may know that you are expecting by the end of the hour, you are expecting?"

Regina took a deep breath, "yes mother I am."

"Fantastic, how far along are you?"

"About two or three months I think, now if you don't mind I would like to get dressed for breakfast."

"Yes of course dear, and congratulations."

"And mother I don't need to remind you that you will not use magic on my children."

"We can talk about that more later dear, I will see you at breakfast."

That evening Regina lay in bed with Danielle stroking her hair. "So did you have a nice day my darling?"

"Yes, it was the best birthday ever. I get to be a big sister, and that saddle was beautiful I can't wait to go riding with it. We will have fantastic adventure times, once my new brother or sister is born I can show them how to ride too."

"That would be nice darling, you like adventure time?"

"Oh yes mommy it is my favorite, going out and exploring the woods. It makes me feel like I am not a princess, if only for a little while."

"Do you not like being a princess?" Regina asked concerned.

"I mean, it is fun. I like the pretty dresses but it can get boring, I wish all the time could be adventure time out in the woods with our horses.

"Well I will just have to remember that darling, good night I love you very much" Regina said as she bent down and kissed Danielle on the forehead before heading back to her own room.

* * *

_Regina ran through the black stumbling over unseen obstacles, running away from a figure that she somehow knew was bad. She tripped and fell and turned around to see a black silhouette standing over her, hands raised, yielding a knife. She tried to scream but found that she could make so sound as the figure lowered the knife thrusting it into her lower abdomen. Her body screamed out in pain as if it were on fire. _

She opened her eyes catching her breath. It was all a bad dream, but the pain, the pain was still there. Regina pulled back her sheets to they were stained red. She rolled over to stand up, doubling over in pain and made her way over to a bell. She grabbed it before the pain sent her down to her knees. She swung her arm, ringing the bell, alerting whoever could hear that help was needed in the Queen's chambers.

"Regina?" Regina looked up and saw her father and he walked into the room, still half asleep but brought my the ringing of the bell.

"Daddy" She said through clenched teeth. It felt as if pain was the only thing that controlled her body now. "please help me"

"What can I do darling please just tell me." Henry asked as he knelt by his daughter, not touching her for fear that he would cause her more pain.

"I can't…just please make the pain go away." She begged.

"It will darling soon" Henry replied and he moved forward to stroke her head.

Regina screamed out in pain as it intensified before everything went black.

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**What's going to happen to mother and child? Like I said I've got the next chapter written but I would love to get some reviews before posting it so I can get a feel of what people like and don't like so I can edit things to please people more. Sending me a PM is also another way to let me know what you think or do open up a conversation.**


	10. Chapter 10

**So this chapter is quite a bit longer. I hope you like it. Please review. It helps motivate me to know that people are reading the story. And if there is anything that you don't like let me know what that is so that I can change that.**

**Enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

Regina felt a hand stroking her hair and opened her eyes to see her mother looking down at her.

"Mother?" Regina asked her voice was hoarse as she tried to sit up.

"Lay down Regina you need to rest." Regina lay down and the events before her black out rushed back to her; all the blood and the pain.

"The baby?" Regina asked, knowing what the answer would be.

"It's gone." Cora said. "We almost lost you too, would have probably if it weren't for me."

"What did you do, did you use magic?" Regina asked with a sense of betrayal.

"I had to darling you were dying. The baby was already gone but you kept bleeding. You were white as a sheet. The midwives had all but given up."

"I ask you to do one thing."

"I saved your life do you really want to complain about that. I probably could have saved your son's life too but they wouldn't let me in until it was too late for that."

"It was a boy?" Regina asked, tears falling from her face.

"Yes, it was a boy." Cora answered.

"You would have used magic on the baby, even though it is the one thing that I ask you not to do?" Regina asked, trying to understand her mother and the events unfolding all at the same time.

"Regina sometimes you just don't know what is best, but I do." Cora answered.

"I think you should let me rest now." Regina said.

"Danielle would like to see you." Cora answered.

"Send her in."

Danielle walked in slowly, scared that she would cause damage.

"Come up here darling." Regina said.

Danielle climbed up onto the bed and snuggled in next to her mother.

"Dad said that my little brother died, that I'm not going to be a big sister."

"Yes darling, I'm so sorry." Regina said, hugging her daughter close to her.

"He said that I have to be gentle with you because you're sick."

"I'm alright darling I'm just a little tired is all. I will probably have to stay in bed for a few days."

"I'm glad you are ok, can I sleep here with you?"

"I would love that" Regina answered as she bent down and kissed Danielle on the forehead.

"Danielle, do you remember when you said you liked playing adventure time because you didn't have to be a princess." Danielle nodded. "Well when I am better, how would you like to play a really long game of adventure time?"

"I would like that very much."

"Good" Regina answered, "it can be our secret game, you must not tell anyone about it ok." Danielle nodded. "Good night darling."

"Good night mommy"

Outside the door Cora walked off, with her own plan to make.

* * *

The next morning one of Regina's hand maids gathered her dishes after she had finished eating breakfast. The doctors said that it was best that she didn't move from her bed for at least a week.

"Is there anything else your majesty?" The young woman asked.

"Yes, I would like to speak to my father, could you send him in."

"Yes your majesty" The young woman said again as she bowed and left the room.

Regina rolled her eyes, she hated all of this bowing and curtsying and 'your majesty', and it seems as if it had only gotten worse since last night.

Henry knocked at the door before walking in.

"Hello Regina darling, how are you feeling?" He asked.

"I need you to tell me what happened. I remember ringing the bell and then you came in, but I don't really remember anything after that."

The look on her father's face turned solemn. "I couldn't sleep so I decided to go for a walk around the halls when I heard the sound of the alert bell coming from your room. I came in and found you laying on the floor, you had this look on your face like you were in absolute agony. I tried to ask you what was wrong but you passed out. I didn't know what was happening to you, a couple minutes later some guards arrived with the midwives. They carried you back to your bed and then the midwives ordered everyone out. I was waiting out in the hallway. It seemed like everyone was, your mother, Danielle, Leopold and Snow. After an hour your mother forced her way into the room. The midwives came out and told us that the baby was gone and it seemed as if you were too. But then your mother did something. The color started to return to your face, I was so relieved, I don't know what I would have done if I would I have lost you."

"I'm leaving father" was all Regina said.

"What?"

"Mother used magic, it doesn't matter how much I ask her not to she insists that she knows what is right for me and Danielle and my…" Regina didn't know how to refer to the baby she had lost. Her son? The child that would have been? But it didn't matter. "If I would have died father, who would have stopped mother from using magic on Danielle?"

"Regina is it really so serious, it was just a game or a healing spell?"

"That is how it started with me Daddy, don't you remember. I need to protect Danielle from that. For all I know the King still wants a son, Mother probably still wants me to have one. She will insist that her magic can protect me. But I don't think I would survive another pregnancy. Danielle told me she doesn't like being a princess. So I decided to leave with her, and I would like you to come with us."

"You just want me to leave?"

"We can start a new life as a family, without magic, we can be happy."

"We will be poor, people would be looking for us."

"So we will run until they can't find us, and we will be happy. Danielle will have her mother. So will you come with me?"

"I don't know if I can." Henry answered.

"You can't stop me you know that, I would just like it if you came."

"If twenty eight years of being your father have taught me one thing they have taught me that. And I don't think I could live without being your father."

"So you will come with me then" Regina said, her face lighting up.

"I will start making the necessary arrangements."

"Oh thank you Daddy, I love you."

"And I you, but you need to rest. Regain your strength."

Regina nodded and her father kissed her forehead before heading out to make the necessary arrangements, whatever those were.

* * *

Cora got off her horse and walked through a purple fog coming out dressed as a servant of the very castle she had left not hours before and came upon a small house with a family huddled around outside. A shallow grave had been dug and a small box sat beside it.

"Hello" she said. "I am so sorry for your loss."

The family turned around, shocked that they had a visitor from the castle, even if it were only a servant.

"What are you doing here?" They asked.

"My niece lives just a couple miles from here and she told me of your loss. I am very sorry. I have come because I wanted to offer you something. It is tragic when a life is lost at such a young age. I would like to take your child…I can bring them back to the castle, give them a proper funeral."

"But why would you do that for us?"

"We should always help neighbors don't you think?" Cora asked.

"Well yes I suppose, but there isn't anything that you want from us?"

"Well actually. I have too recently suffered a loss, perhaps that is why I am here. My brother's daughter recently died in child birth, she was like a daughter to me. She left behind a young daughter with no one left in the world but me. But my long hours at the castle mean that I can't truly care for her. But if I young family such as yourself were to take her in, I can provide money I don't ask for anything for free of course."

"Yes, yes. We must help out neighbors." The family answered.

"Fantastic" Cora said, dabbing her eyes. I will bring her by tomorrow after I finish burying your child. I will see you soon."

And with that Cora left, her plan nearly complete. She would not be losing her daughter, but she would not let anything happen to her granddaughter either. She would grow up happy, not a princess like she said she wanted to be. This child in the box could easily be transformed with a simple spell to look like her granddaughter. And if Regina thought that her daughter was dead and gone she would have no reason to leave. Cora would keep her family together, and her daughter would be Queen. Nothing could get in the way.

* * *

"Mommy" Danielle said as she ran into Regina's room. "Grandma says I can go horseback riding, can I go?"

"Well darling, I don't think I am quite strong enough to get up yet, perhaps I can go with you tomorrow" Regina answered.

"But grandma can go with me."

"Grandma isn't really the best at horseback riding darling."

"Snow is coming too, and the horse man Fredrick will be there to help me, please mommy you promised me that I could go riding soon."

"Ok darling, just listen to what Snow and Fredrick say."

"I will mommy I promise." Danielle said, anxious to leave before her mother could change her mind.

"I love you Danielle" Regina said as Danielle left the room.

"I love you too Mommy, I will see you at dinner time."

* * *

Regina was just dozing off when her father came into her room, his face white as a sheet.

"What is it father, have you made all the necessary arrangements, I think we can leave in a couple of days."

"I don't think we will be doing that." Henry said.

"Why is that?" Regina asked, sensing that something was wrong.

"Danielle has been in a horrible accident."

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**So this was a happy chapter :) Sorry. Once again review to let me know what you think.**


	11. Chapter 11

**So this next chapter is shorter, I just wanted to write something to get the ball rolling again. Thank you for the reviews I have been getting I would love more even if you have already reviewed. It helps to know other people are reading the story, if something is bothering you about it let me know, if you don't like something let me know. And that is all I've got for now.**

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"Danielle come with me darling" Cora said as she lead Danielle by the hand out of a cloud of purple smoke, dressed in common clothes.

"Was that magic, are we playing dress up again?" Danielle asked.

"Yes it was magic" Cora answered.

"Are we playing another game, where are we, I was riding horses?"

"In a way we are playing a game, we are going to see some people who are going to take care of you for a while."

"But my mommy takes care of me" Danielle said.

Cora paused and got down on her knees looking Danielle in the face. "Danielle, do you remember how your mommy was sick because you weren't going to have a little brother." Danielle just nodded solemnly, "well Danielle your mommy died, I'm so sorry. But these people they can be your new mommy they will take care of you."

Danielle just laughed and shook her head, "my mommy isn't dead, I talked to her before we went horse riding, we are going to place a game later she said."

"No Danielle your mommy died" Cora repeated again as she waved her hand in front of Danielle's face. A purple shimmer appeared in her eyes for a moment and then faded away, being replaced by her tears."

"Mommy…" she cried.

"Yes I know darling, I miss her too, now let's go meet your new family.

* * *

"An accident what kind of accident?" Regina asked as she sat up in her bed, throwing the blankets off to the side.

"Well when she was riding the horse…it threw her." Henry simply said, his face grim.

"Well where is she, she is probably hurt and scared, she will want to see me I must be with her" Regina said frantically, standing up, ignoring the stiffness she felt in her limbs from lying in bed for a week.

"Regina you need to stop" her father said trying to calm her down.

"Don't tell me to stop, I need to see her, I need to help her, is she still outside?" Regina said again scooping her robe off a nearby chair wrapping it around her.

"Regina, Danielle died." Henry said finally.

Regina paused, and reached for the chair steading her balance. Her father moved forward taking her arms and leading her to the chair as tears started to fall from his face. "Cora said she was thrown by the horse, it just went wild. She hit her head, it happened instantly; there was nothing anyone could do."

Regina just stared blankly at the wall in front of her. _Her daughter couldn't be dead; she would feel it wouldn't she. Feel her pain as she died, feel like a part of her was being ripped from her body. Perhaps that is what she was feeling now. But all she could feel was shock and emptiness. She was no longer a mother, she had gone from having a happy five year old and another on the way to nothing in a week. Seven days is all it took to take everything from her._

"Regina are you okay" her father asked.

"I would still like to see her" Regina said, "her body, I need to hold my baby one last time." Her eyes dry.

"Of course" Henry said, "come with me."

Regina walked into a stone room that she had never been in before and walked up to a table where she saw the body of her daughter. She looked so peaceful except for the thin jagged line of a cut near her temple. Regina figured it was probably from where she hit her head when she fell. Regina reached out her hand to stroke Danielle's cheek. It didn't feel like her, it was so…cold.

"NOOOO" Regina finally yelled, the blood curdling scream that only a mother can make before collapsing onto her knees hugging her stomach. "No" she repeated again, more quietly this time as tears began to fall.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see her mother, already dressed in black.

"Come my dear there are preparations we have to make."

* * *

**So the next chapter will see a new character entering the story to mix things up, any idea as to who it is?**


	12. Chapter 12

**This may be the last time I can update in a little while, my family is arriving in 10 minutes and will be in town for about 10 days. I will try to update though. Please review, this is a pretty significant chapter so I am interested to see what people think. **

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Regina sat on the corner of her bed, through her black gloved hands she stroked a lock of hair, dark like that of her mother's. It had been a week, but she still couldn't believe she was gone. She still expected to feel a tug near the bottom of her dress, or demands for playtime that Regina could hardly ever refuse.

But they won't come anymore, her daughter was gone.

She heard movement in her chambers and reflectively put the lock of hair back in a locket and set it besides her.

"Mother I told you I'd…" Regina looked up, expecting to see her mother but instead seeing a very different creature standing before her, a man with golden scaly skin and long greasy hair. "I'm sorry I expected my mother."

"No trouble dearie." The man replied with a wave of his hands.

"What are you doing here?" Regina asked, all of a sudden realizing the absurdity of having a strange man in her chambers, not sure if she should be concerned for her safety.

"I just came to pay my condolences, I heard about your loss. Children should never go before their parents."

Regina held in a sob, if her training to be a Queen had taught her one thing it had taught her to maintain her emotions.

"Thank you" Regina said, looking him in the eyes before the realization that she had seen this man before came to her. "Wait, I know you."

"Yes we have met before" The man replied, "On your wedding day."

"You gave me my looking glass" Regina replied, gesturing to the large mirror that stood only feet away.

"Glad to see it has been put to use, I come again with a gift."

"A gift, why?"

"I too had a child once, I lost him, I know how painful that can be. So I brought you something to ease your pain." At those words he withdrew a small vial from within his coat. "One sip of this and you will no longer mourn the loss of your daughter."

"How does it work?" Regina asked hesitantly.

"Well, you won't remember her" the man replied with a laugh.

Regina shook her head, "I don't want to forget my daughter, I just want her back in my arms."

"No way to do that, she is dead." The man replied with the same laugh. "Magic can do many things, but not bring back the dead"

"Why are you giving this to me?" Regina asked, as she took the potion, holding it in her hands as if it were a poison.

"It is just a gift from one grieving parent to another." The man said before waving his hands and disappearing, Regina thought she saw his reflection in the looking glass.

She blinked a few times, it couldn't be. If it weren't for the vial in her hands she would have doubted that the strange encounter had happened at all. She set down the vial on the table near her bed and stood up to stand in front of her mirror, pulling on her dress, making sure it lay flat.

"Good dear, you are ready." Her mother said as she entered the room, also dressed in a black gown. "You don't want to be late to your daughter's funeral do you?"

Regina gasped for air as a tear rolled down her cheek, every time she was reminded of Danielle's death she felt as though she was being stabbed, she didn't know how she would survive the funeral.

"Come dear" Cora said as she wiped the tear from her cheek. "Stand tall, your people will be there, you must remind them that you are their Queen, even in this difficult time."

"Why do they have to be there, it should just be an intimate affair."

"The whole kingdom cared about their princess, they want to say goodbye."

"But she wasn't a princess, she was my daughter." Regina replied letting out another sob.

At this Cora walked around in front of her and took her by the shoulders, "really dear you have to pull yourself together, I understand you are grieving, we all are."

"No mother you don't understand." Regina replied, and saw the figure of the man she was just talking to appear in the mirror in front of her, gesturing for her to push.

"Regina, stop being ridiculous, now come on, let's not be late." Cora replied. A mix of grief and anger stirred inside Regina, and looking up again she saw the man again making the same gesture. And for some reason she felt compelled, as if she was not in control of her limbs to step forward and push her mother away from her.

Cora stumbled and fell backwards towards the mirror, and through it as it open up like a portal. She grasped onto the frame for a moment, with a look on her face that Regina had never seen in her mother before; fear.

"Mother" Regina said in a whimper as Cora fell through the portal.

Regina looked down at her hands, not sure of what she had just done.

Just then she heard a knock at the door. "The carriage is leaving your majesty."

"I understand" Regina replied, before taking a deep breath and running out the door.

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**So what do people think. We are on our way back to being closer to the canon of the show. **

**Let me know what you think in reviews.**


	13. Chapter 13

**So I decided I needed to look at Regina's relationship with Snow a bit more, and how Snow is taking the loss of her sister. Let me know if there are any other relationships you would like me to explore. Reviews really help me to know if there is interest in the story for me to continue, and also to know what is liked and dislikes, so please let me know what you think. Thanks!**

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A knock on the door pulled Regina back to the world that she was living in. She hated things like that, things that interrupted her connection with the disturbed state of mind that she had been living in, isolated in her chambers. It had been two weeks since she had made her necessary regal appearance at her daughter's funeral but since then she had been content to live within her mind. Trying to sort out her daughter's death, her mother's sudden disappearance, and the strange visitor and the vial that he gave her. Swimming in the grief for her lost children, guilt of the loss of her mother and confusion at the strange imp had left her sleepless and without much of an appetite.

The knock came again, "Mother"

_Mother? She was no longer that, she had lost the title when she lost her children. Snow, the thought came to her…perhaps there was still hope for something._

"Come in" Regina said, surprised by the hoarseness in her voice as she pushed herself up to sit up in bed.

Snow open the door slowly and walked in, almost as though she was walking on glass, pausing once she was close enough for the lamp light to illuminate Regina's face. It was so much more hollow that she remembered it. Dark circles seemed to hang under her eyes as if they were mirrors, marks showing her inner-turmoil clearly on her face. But through it all her breathtaking beauty still showed, Snow focused on that as she spoke.

"I came to ask if you will be joining us for dinner." She asked in her sing song voice, although the question came out hesitantly, as if each word had to be carefully chosen.

"No dear, not tonight, I'm not quite feeling up to it yet." Regina replied.

"I can have the cook send something up for you."

"I'm really not hungry, but thank you for asking dear, that was very thoughtful."

Snow smiled, it was the longest sentence she had heard Regina speak since before her miscarriage.

"Was there something else dear?" Regina asked, hoping that Snow would just leave.

"I'm sorry." Snow said quickly.

"Thank you dear, I know you miss her too."

At that a tear came into Snow's eyes. "Yes I really do…but, I'm sorry about your mother as well. And well, I think I might be the reason that she left, and I see how you could really use your mother at a time like this and for that I am so sorry, I just wish I could say something to her."

Regina shook her head, not quite understanding what Snow was telling her, "what do you mean?"

"I think…I think Cora blamed herself for Danielle's" Snow paused for a moment, not quite sure of what the appropriate next word would be, "…accident."

"Oh Snow, no one is to blame, my mother knew nothing about horseback riding I know that." Every word that came out of Regina's mouth felt labored.

"But Danielle was my responsibility I know that, she told me that you told her to listen to me, so she even promised me she would while we were walking out the stables. She held my hand and told me that she wanted to ride like me so she would follow all my instructions." As she said this she held out her hand, and tears started to fall more freely.

Regina looked down at her own hand, remembering the way it felt when Danielle's hand was in her's. Like she had all of Danielle's trust and understanding; Danielle gave it to her so readily and without question…and she gave it to Snow too before going to ride.

"But I became bored of watching her, I don't know why I never got bored of watching her. But I did and I wanted to ride around fast, testing my limits. Far faster than Danielle could, so I did and I told her to wait. And I don't know what happened, I think she wanted to try running fast too, and then she…I'm so sorry. But it wasn't Cora's fault." By now Snow was in hysterics.

Regina just closed her eyes, trying to take in the news that was being passed on to her_. It wasn't a freak accident, the horse wasn't spooked, Danielle was trying to be like her older sister. Who was only thinking of herself…_

"Where was Fredrick" Regina asked.

"What?" Snow asked, trying to calm herself down.

"Where was Fredrick, I remember Danielle said he would be there as well."

Snow paused, trying to remember the events of the day. "One of the horses started making a lot of noise in the stables, he went to check what was wrong."

"And left you all alone?" Regina asked.

"He told us to stay put." Snow answered

"But you didn't?" Regina asked, still trying to comprehend everything.

"No I didn't" Snow answered as she hung her head.

"Snow, dear?" Regina simply said after she took a moment to compose herself.

"Yes."

"I need to rest now, why don't you go clean yourself up before dinner."

Snow nodded, "I'm so sorry."

"I know you are dear" Regina said with her best smile as Snow left the room again.

Regina lay down, her head swimming with thoughts. Snow was responsible once again for the loss of the thing, the person closest to her. Her mother was gone, and a vial still sat on her bedside table.

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**So like I said earlier, are there any other relationships you would like me to look at.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey, thanks for your feedback. Here is another important chapter. Please review, let me know if you hated or loved something. Or even if you thought it was just okay. Enjoy!**

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Henry walked into Regina's chambers carrying a tray with a bowl of soul and a chunk of bread, not dinner fit for a Queen, but Regina needed to eat and it would do. The servants had insisted that they bring the food to Regina, but Henry insisted that his daughter wouldn't eat unless he was there; and everyone in the castle was aware that Regina as losing herself and worried that they would lose their queen.

"Regina" he said as he entered the door; surprised by the shards of the broken cup and vase scattered around Regina's room. "Don't worry about this mess I will have somebody come and clean it up, I brought you some dinner." Henry said.

"I told Snow I wasn't hungry." Regina said as she rolled over. The hollowness in his daughter's cheeks hit Henry like he was being punched in the gut.

"Yes, Snow told me that she spoke with you, you may not be hungry but you need to eat, when was the last time you had a full meal?" He asked.

"I don't know" Regina answered as she sat up in bed. Her father came and sat by her, placing the tray before her.

She looked up at her father. "You can go now daddy."

"I won't go, not until I have seen you finish this soup and bread." Henry replied.

"I will eat it later; I am just not hungry right now." Regina answered again.

"Regina" Henry pleaded. "I know that you are grieving for your daughter, I loved her too I should have done more with her, but you not eating and starving away up here is not going to do anyone any good."

Regina just looked at him with the same hollow look that she had given for the past couple of days.

"Regina I can't lose you." Henry said again as he dipped the bread in the soup and handed it to Regina, "if not for you, do it for me, please." He said almost begging.

Regina reached out her hand and took the bread and took a bite. She slowly picked up her spoon and ate bite by bite. As Regina started to eat more Henry let out a sigh of relief and a tear rolled down his face.

"Snow told me what she told you, about how she thinks she is responsible for Danielle's death." Henry said.

Regina cringed and the combination of the words Danielle and death used so close to each other. "She was responsible" Regina replied, "first my love and now my daughter, what else can that girl take from me."

"She has good intentions" Henry replied.

"Does she?" Regina asked. "Because I have been wondering that ever since Daniel's death, and I have been able to chalk it all up to a young girl putting her trust in the wrong person. But now, she is 18, no longer ignorant. She let her desires come before the safety of a sweet five year old child." As Regina got to the end of the sentence she found herself choking back tears.

"So does she have good intentions? Because look at the cost, look at the cost I have had to pay, and I am done paying it daddy." Regina said finally.

"What do you mean?"

"All I know, is that I can't live like this. Every morning I wake up and my daughter is not here, she is in the ground. And I just don't know what to do, do I breathe the air? Because it seems wrong to do that if she is not breathing the air. It is like a part of me is missing and every day I feel that hole in me, and it hurts, it hurts so much and I don't know what to do." Regina did not cry, it seemed like she was out of tears by this point. But the tears that she could not produce her father did.

"Well why don't you start by finishing your soup." He said.

She nodded and picked up another spoonful eating one at a time until the whole bowl was gone before she pushed back the tray to her father.

"Tell me how to help you?" Henry said.

Regina looked up at him again, saying nothing. "Tell me how to take away your pain, because I can't be forcing you to eat bowls of soup every day; although I will."

Regina took a deep breath and whispered under her breath, "Danielle forgive me, I will always love you." Before turning back to her father and answering, "hand me that vial on the table."

He did so and she took the top off of it and allowed herself to shed one final tear for her daughter before downing the all the contents. She expected it to burn when she swallowed it, like fire or hard alcohol. But instead it felt like cream, a smooth substance calming everything inside her. When she looked up at her father Henry saw a different look in her eyes, almost as if he did not recognize his own daughter.

"Regina are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes of course I am father, why wouldn't I be, was I sick?" she asked.

"No, it was just, your daughter Danielle." He replied.

"Danielle, I don't have a daughter by that name, I don't have any idea who you are speaking of, I only have a step-daughter called Snow White, that monster." As she spoke her name a look of rage and pure hatred came across Regina that Henry had never seen before in his life.

"Good, well I must go to bed now, good night" Henry said as he turned and almost ran out of the room out of fear.

"Good night father" Regina called back

* * *

**One week later**

King Leopold walked into the garden with a guest where Regina stood in a white gown admiring the apple tree from her childhood home. Snow stood off the side, Regina did her best not to make eye contact with the young woman.

"And this is my beautiful daughter Snow" the King said.

"How do you do" Snow replied with a slight curtsey as she gathered flowers in her basket.

"And Regina, my wife, the Queen" Leopold said again.

Regina turned from her tree, head down and walked over to where the stranger stood. He was dressed in a vest and a turban, clothes until any that Regina had seen, but she had been taught well.

"Hello" Regina replied.

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**In case I am horrible at describing things that last scene was Regina meeting the genie. The story is now back on its original trajectory. I am planning of having the next chapter skipping to Storybrooke and catching up there. Let me know if you have a problem with that or have any other ideas. Thanks for reading. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Ok, so now there is a big time jump. Basically we are now in the middle of season 2, Regina cast the curse, everything else happened as the laid out. **

**Please review and let me know what you think, thanks.**

**I don't own Once Upon A Time or anything of that stuff**

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Starts at episode 2x12

Regina awoke from her dream with a start, with an eerie feeling that she had been witnessing something personal. As if it was not a fictional dream, but someone else's life that she had been taping into. She had been haunted by the dreams for years, ever since the King's death. At first she thought it was guilt, although she didn't know why she would feel that way. She would dream of a girl, doing nothing important. In some of the dreams she was happy, playing outside in the fields. In some she was upset. In the Enchanted Forest Regina had watched the girl grow, at least once a year she would have a dream about a birthday. The girl seemed to be poor, her family didn't have much, but there was always excitement around the birthdays. After arriving in Storybrooke she had the dreams much less frequently, and never any birthday dreams. But just before Regina woke up she saw the dream girl again, this time sitting in front of a cake that were adorned with candles that read 13. Regina thought perhaps the girl was not so much of a girl anymore. She tried to shake the thought, she was not a real person, just a figment of her imagination. Once after arriving in Storybrooke Regina had gone to Archie hoping he could shed some light on the matter. But all he wanted to do was talk about Regina's childhood, suggesting that maybe they were dreams of the life that she wished she had had. But Regina hated thinking about what could have been, it was too painful, so instead she tried to forget the dream girl.

Normally after a dream like this she would bake or go for a walk, anything to take her mind off of it. But now she was trapped, in hiding, in a room in her mausoleum. Archie was dead and the town blamed her, after everything that she had done trying to change for her son she was rejected once again. Regina paced for a while, trying to clear her mind, think of how to move forward now when she heard a familiar voice.

"'Mom, hello, mom, are you in there."

Regina made her way over to the mirror that hung on the secret door. Henry was standing right outside. How was that possible, he knew about the mausoleum, but not about this room, not that she would come here. But that didn't matter, even if it was a trick, a trap to punish her for her supposed crime, she needed to see her son.

Henry turned to walk away, but before he could get too far Regina opened the door. Henry turned around and seeing the opening walked back and through the door. He looked at Regina for a moment before Regina hugged him.

Henry felt real, and nothing bad was happening yet. She had really come to see her. Perhaps there was still hope for them.

"Henry I'm so glad you're here" She pushed him back slightly so that she could talk to him, look him in the eye, make sure that he understood her side of the story.

"I missed you so much, but I have to let you know I had nothing to do with Archie."

"I knew I always knew" Henry said, sounding not quite like himself.

"I was framed, I don't know how it just seemed like everything" Regina continued before the impact of Henry's words hit her. "You knew? How did you know?" Regina asked.

"Simple" Henry responded before his form was engulfed in a cloud of smoke and replaced by her mother, Cora. "Because I did it." Cora finished.

"Mother" Regina said, confused and frightened. It had all been a trick.

"You" Regina continued stepping back, "I thought we stopped you. How did you get through?"

"Determination, I had to see you, I needed to tell you, I know why you sent me through the looking glass, and I know why you tried to have me killed. And it's it's alright." Cora finished.

"I think it's not alright"

"I love you, I just…I've always shown it in all the wrong ways." Cora said, as close to pleading as Regina had ever seen her mother. Regina looked at her confused by the sudden sentiment.

"And I never should have made you marry the King, or push you to have a son when you already had Danielle, I'm so sorry."

Regina looked down, trying to shake off the memory of all the painful years, before looking up confused.

"Danielle? You mean Daniel, you took him from me mother before I married."

"And I'm sorry for that as well" Cora said, "But I meant your daughter, you had already done so well and I forced you to have a son. I know that is why you pushed me through the looking glass before the funeral." Cora replied.

"Mother, haven't you manipulated me enough, why must you now lie to me, I never had a daughter. I was pregnant with a boy and the miscarriage almost killed me, that is why I never had any other children. But then I adopted Henry, and I have a family. I don't need you and I certainly don't need your lies and manipulations."

"You don't remember your daughter?" Cora asked

"Because I never had one, honestly mother, haven't you done enough."

"I can help you find her" Cora said.

"What?"

"She died, or rather you thought she died. But she didn't I just gave her to a family."

"You gave her to a family?" Regina asked, still not believing her mother's story but interested to hear her mother's logic.

"You were going to leave, Danielle was a distraction, it thought it would be best if you thought she was out of the picture. So I gave her to a lovely family and faked her death."

"She was never in the picture mother, I never had a daughter, why are you telling me this. Are you trying to distract me from what you really did. You framed me mother, for the cricket."

"Temporary" Cora replied. "So you could see what these people really think of you."

"You made an airtight case, anyone would believe it" Regina countered.

"I didn't want you to reject me." Cora replied.

"And you thought telling me you faked my daughter's death would do that. You wanted me broken."

"I didn't plan on you not remembering her, and I just wanted to receptive, Regina please I am trying to be more honest."

Regina let out a laugh, "you are the most manipulative, no I won't even argue, come with me, we are going to town."

"It's the middle of the night."

"I don't care, we'll wake them up, Emma and Henry and the two idiots, and you can tell them how you lied, you owe me that."

"And then you'll let us start over?" Cora asked, "we can find Danielle, she will just be turning 13."

Regina shook her head. For a moment the thought of her dream girl and the birthday cake entered her mind. She pushed it out before it could take hold. "I don't see that happening mother, but I am, I was trying so hard to be worthy of Henry, and I deserve the same thing from you."

"You're right" Cora replied, "for you sweet heart, anything."


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi a couple things. I am looking for a beta reader for this story and my story Dynamite, I haven't been using one but I think it would help. So if you are interested in beta reading either one let me know. **

**Also I will probably not be as good as updating stories, I have already gotten slow. The semester is starting on Tuesday and so school will soon take over my life. **

**Also like I said before the last chapter picked up in 2x12 so a reminder on what is happening. The whole Hook/Owen/Belle accident happened a couple episodes ago. When Cora came back she saw Mr. Gold before going to Regina and gave him a magical globe to save his son. Belle lost her memories in the accident and Mr. Gold asked Cora if she knew anyway to reverse the affects. She didn't know. Also Mr. Gold is trading in his favor and leaving for Manhattan with Emma to find his son. And now for the continuation of Danielle:**

**Also as always, please review. It is nice to hear what people think about my story. What you like what you don't like. I am writing this as I go so if there is anything you love or hate let me know so I can continue doing said thing or stop. You can also always PM me because I am a friendly person who enjoys discussing Once and fanfiction. Now for the feature presentation:**

* * *

They drove in the night towards Mary Margaret's apartment where now David, Emma, and Henry all resided. And they would finally know the truth. Very few words had been exchanged between Cora and Regina during the drive, they both just stared ahead until Regina broke the silence.

"Nervous?"

"Not about owning up to what I've done, it's just these carriages are strange, and something is irritating me." Cora said as she reached down and pulled out a painted block of plaster with a small child's hand imprinted on it. She had decided along the drive that convincing Regina of Danielle was useless, and Henry was the way into her heart for now. In time she would bring her granddaughter back into her family as well.

"Oh for mommy" Cora said as she read the plaster in an almost taunting tone, "oh that used to be you."

"When were you in my house" Regina asked, obviously not amused.

"I haven't had the pleasure" Cora responded.

"That was in my house, you think I don't know where that was, it is one of my most treasured possessions." Regina replied, trying to stay unemotional around her mother, it was becoming more and more difficult.

"Let's be honest, taking me to be pilloried by the town might gain you some points but as long as Emma and her parents are here, he's not really yours, not like when he made things for his one and only Mommy. You've been too bad for too long and now they see you as a snake."

Regina continued to drive, still fighting to keep a straight face. But she knew that her mother's words were true she had been thinking them herself for the past months. She tried to come up with a comeback, but had nothing.

"You don't want their love at all, what do you want?" Cora asked.

"My son back" Regina replied, and pulled over the car before the sudden storm of emotions made it dangerous to drive.

"And I want my daughter back" Cora said turning to Regina, "I meant everything I said earlier. I am so sorry, I can do better. I won't push you away again, let me into your heart, together we can get him back again."

Regina laid down on her mother's chest and held her arms out for an embrace. As much as she had hated her mother growing up she still had some comforting memories, and just wanted her mother's acceptance.

"How?" Regina asked.

"Oh I have a few thoughts." Cora replied.

After a moment Regina collected herself and turned the car around, headed back to 108 Mifflin Street. Tomorrow she would go and once again try to explain her innocence, and talk to Henry at the very least. If the Charmings knew about Cora then she could act as if she was protecting him from her mother, be the hero. And if that didn't work, then greater plans could be put into place.

* * *

_Regina found herself in the castle that was her home for the many years of her unhappy marriage, as if she was floating through it. With an anxious feeling as if something was lost. As she turned the corner she saw a younger version of herself as if she was watching her life as a movie. Her younger self acted as anxious as Regina felt as she walked down the hallway checking in the adjacent rooms. A woman who was obviously a servant rushed by her stopped for a moment to speak.  
"I'm so sorry your majesty. I don't know how she got away I just turned for one moment."_

_"Bridget, I don't blame you, now get a hold of yourself you are not useful in this state. With the two of us looking I am sure that we will find Danielle in no time." The woman nodded and scurried away again._

_Regina watched as she continued to open up doors until after finally coming across one that was open a crack. After pushing it open and glancing inside she ran inside. Suddenly Regina felt the feeling of anxiousness disappear as she continued floating alongside her younger self, watching as an observer._

_A young girl, around three years sat on the floor inside. Fascinated by a bucket at she seemed to find. The girl turned around as Regina barged in. _

_"Danielle, I was so worried, I didn't know where you went. Don't run away like that again you really scared me." _

_"I just wanted to play" the girl said, tears forming in her eyes. _

_Regina walked over to the girl and scooper her up in her arms, "I know darling, but tell someone where you go ok, don't scare mommy like that."_

_"Ok" the girl said and she held on to Regina as she walked out of the room. _

All of a sudden Regina awoke with a start covered with a thin layer of sweat. She got out of bed and got in the shower trying to comprehend what had just happened. The girl looked so familiar somehow, and when the cold water hit her Regina realized that the young girl from the dream she had just had looked almost like a younger version of her dream girl. With the dark hair and piercing eyes; she tried to push the thought out of her mind again. Today was not about dream girl, today was about seeing Henry and piecing her family back together again.

Regina walked downstairs and found a note from her mother on her kitchen table.

_Decided to go for a walk, why don't you go and talk to the Charmings, talk to you later. _

Regina grabbed her coat and headed out the door. She made her way across town with surprisingly no challenge, no angry mob approached her demanding her head for Dr. Hopper's life. When she reached the door of her final destination she composed herself before she raised her hand to knock but found the door open before her fist could even make contact with the wood.

"Apparently not that hard" David said before Regina could even say a word.

"Regina, you're back?" Mary Margaret said.

"I know you think I'm responsible for poor Dr. Hopper's death." Regina started

"He's alive" David interrupted.

"What?" Regina asked.

"You were framed" Mary Margaret tried to explain.

"Who would do that?" Regina asked

"Your mother, she's here."

"That's not possible"

"When we found a way back so did she, we were wrong, and we're so sorry." Mary Margaret said.

"I know, but if Cora is here then we are all in danger, please you have to let me see my son, I can protect him." Regina said.

"He's not here." Mary Margaret replied.

"What?" Regina asked for the second time in the conversation. Although her part of the exchange was partly all a lie, she hated being surprised and it was starting to get on her nerves.

"Mr. Gold asked Emma to help him find his son, they left town about an hour ago with Henry." David explained.

"And no one informed me?" Regina asked, done with the protect Henry from Cora act.

"We didn't know where you were, and to be honest, I don't think Emma has to run anything by you." Mary Margaret answered.

"No I suppose she doesn't" Regina responded before turning around and heading back home. It was time for a new plan

* * *

Cora walked into Mr. Gold's shop early in the morning. Because of the globe that she had given him last night, before going to see Regina she knew that it wasn't long before he left Storybrooke, and she had some new questions for him.

Mr. Gold walked out from the back room carrying a suitcase, "so you are back."

"I had a granddaughter" Cora simply responded.

"Yes I remember, what was her name…Danielle?"

"Yes" Cora replied.

"Regina must have named her after the stable boy of her's." Mr. Gold replied.

"I told her it was ridiculous but she didn't listen…except there is one problem. My daughter doesn't remember having a child."

"Oh and that disrupts your plans, you were just going to come here, tell Regina that her daughter had been alive the whole time, reunite mother and daughter and then be welcomed into the newly reunited family, because it was all thanks to you."

"Something like that, but now I have had to change my plans" Cora responded.

"Well you always were good at thinking on your feet, let me guess you are now trying to reunite mother and son?"

"That is none of your business, why does my daughter not remember her own child?" Cora asked again.

"I might have given her the potion to forget a person, never saw her drink it, but the symptoms do suggest…"

"So it was your doing?" Cora asked.

"It was just a gift to a grieving parent. It was Regina's own doing to drink it."

"Well undo it then, or I'll make that globe of your's useless."

"First of all, you can't, or more so you wouldn't. I know you, you would never hurt a device with that much magic. And second, don't you remember just yesterday me asking you about a spell to return memories. You see it seems you and I are in a similar situation."

"But mine is due to your potion" Cora countered.

"And mine is due to a curse your daughter cast." Mr. Gold countered back.

"And I would help you if I could, you know for the sake of the good old days, but I can't, and I have a trip I must make so if you don't mind." Mr. Gold said gesturing towards the door.

Cora took a deep breath, deciding to bide her time and waved her arms, disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke.

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**Did you like it. Review, PM, if you want to be a beta reader... all the stuff I mentioned before. **


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello, I am still looking for a beta reader is anyone is interested. Also please review, I haven't been getting many recently, and it is nice to hear what people think. Is there something about the story that is bothering you, something that you love, are you just plain apathetic about it? Whatever the answer I would love to know. The school year just started today so it is going to be busier and harder to find time and energy to write and update, but reviews do help to provide motivation. I am not saying that I will not post new chapters if I don't get reviews, I am just saying I would like to have some. Thanks! **

**Also if you have any questions for ideas feel free to PM me, I don't bite. **

**I hope you enjoy the chapter, I had fun writing it.**

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Cora reappeared outside a modest home in Storybrooke. A swing was attached by fraying rope to the tree in the front yard, it looked almost sad and dejected. There was no question that it was just there hoping for use. Cora walked up to the front door and knocked, impatiently playing with her hands as she waited for a response. A middle aged man open the door, the plaid shirt that he was wearing had a stain on the pocket and his face looked flushed.

"Sorry I was in the basement working on…" The man started when his flushed face turned pale.

"So you do recognize me then?" Cora asked.

"You're the woman who brought Danielle to us, back in the Enchanted Forest."

"Yes" Cora replied.

"We never saw you after that day, but somehow we kept getting payments…" The man asked obviously confused.

"I had to go away, unexpectedly, but I made arrangements before leaving." Cora replied, "Is Danielle still with you?"

"Yes, she is just at the library. We were able to stay together during Regina's curse which was a blessing for the two of us. There are pictures inside, would you like to come in."

"Yes thank you?" Cora replied, walking in through the threshold. "You said the two of us, if I remember correctly you had a wife?"

"Yes she died about a year after Danielle came, the same disease that took our own child." The man replied.

As Cora walked in he was greeted by many pictures on the wall of a girl who looked to be about twelve years old. She was almost shocked by how much the girl looked like Regina at that age.

"I'm sorry for your loss" Cora replied, the words obviously empty.

"Thank you" The man replied with a nod. "Can I get you anything, something to drink perhaps?"

"No nothing thank you, but…what is your name?" Cora asked.

"Peter" the man asked, holding out his hand.

Cora shook it and sat down at a chair by the kitchen table. Peter sat down as well.

"I don't mean to be rude, but why are you here. Have you come to take Danielle back? As you can see she was well taken care of."

"Yes, and I thank you for that. But she does have family here in Storybrooke and I think it would be good for her to meet them. There is just a slight complication." Cora replied.

"Complication?"

"This family…doesn't remember her. But I think it would be best for both of them." Cora started.

"I agree, I think Danielle would want that. I have been honest about where she came from and she has been curious about her family. But who is this family, what do you mean that they don't remember her."

"Danielle's mother, didn't die. But it was necessary that Danielle be taken from her at that moment, for a variety of reasons. This is when I took her to you. But her mother, she didn't handle the loss of Danielle very well, she took a potion that made her forget Danielle."

"But why would a mother want to forget their own child?" Peter asked.

"I don't know, and she can't tell me either, she doesn't remember. But perhaps if they saw each other then things would start coming back."

"Why did Danielle need to be taken from her?"

"I can't tell you that, I can just tell you it was a decision I made, and it was the right one at the time."

"Fine" Peter said shaking his head, trying his best to trust the woman in front of him. "Just tell me one thing, who is Danielle's mother. Is she someone I know?"

"You most likely know of her." Cora replied with a smile.

Peter looked at her confused.

"Danielle's mother is Regina"

* * *

Regina walked from Mary Margaret's house, worry of Henry wracked her mind. They had not believed her innocence and had taken her son from her. All she wanted to do was to see him, things had seemed so confused recently and all she wanted was to see the one thimg that she was sure of in her life. Her son. As she walked she passed the library and decided to veer in. She knew there was a picture of Henry on the wall, with one of his big silly smiles plastered across his face. Last year before Miss Swan had come to town he completed the read more than 50 books challenge that the library posted. And for it he got his picture on the wall and a book of his choice, he had chosen a book about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

As she entered Blue looked up from her spot behind the counter surprised.

"Mayor Mills, can I help you find anything." She thought back and tried to think of a time that she had seen the Mayor in the library without Henry.

"No I am just looking." Regina replied as she walked past the desk and to the back of the library where the young adult books were held and on the wall was a bulletin board with Henry's picture. She walked up to it and smiled at seeing Henry's smile, and ran her fingers over the picture. Wishing that she could be standing in front of Henry instead. Her eyes wandered over the rest of the bulletin board, pictures of other children that had completed the challenge hung on the board. Along with a new picture with the caption. _Sixth Grade Class Helps to Reorganize the Library_. About twenty students stood in front of the book shelves the surrounding area looking spotless. For some reason Regina felt herself drawn to the picture. Looking closer she saw the penetrating eyes of a girl with dark hair, the same girl from her dreams. Regina jumped back in shock, dropping her purse to the floor. The girl wasn't real, the girl was only from her dreams. But the girl was in the picture in front of her. Regina blinked and looked again, expecting herself to have imagined it. But there she stood. Smiling in front of an organized library. Regina felt as though her lungs were being restricted and a pain started to grow behind her eyes. She shook her head, hoping it would make the feeling go away, but it only grew stronger. Regina reached down and picked up her purse and turned around to leave. As she made her way out of the aisle, turning quickly she ran into a girl and stumbled back. The sound of books hitting the floor echoed through Regina's ears.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there" came a voice, it sounded almost familiar to her.

Regina simply shook her head and muttered some sort of apology herself and bent down instinctively to pick up the fallen books, she hated messes and liked to clean them up as quickly as possible. She saw the knees of the girl she had ran into, also kneeling and picking up the fallen books.

When she looked up the same piercing eyes from the picture and from her dreams where looking at her and stumbled back again. Dropping the books, she quickly picked them up again and handed them to the girl. Their hands brushed together as Regina gave the books over and she felt a tingling in her skin as if she had been shocked and pulled her hand back quickly.

"Are you okay?" The girl asked confused, staring at Regina.

"Yes I'm fine." Regina said.

"Do I know you?" the girl asked again.

"I'm the mayor, I'm sure you've seen me around."

"I know that but I just feel as though we…but you are right you are the mayor it must be that. I am sorry again, I should have been looking where I was going."

Regina just nodded, "I'll let you off the hook" before turning and heading towards the door.

"Regina are you okay you don't look so well" Blue asked from behind the counter.

Regina stumbled over and turned and pointed to the girl, "That girl, do you know who she is?"

"Yes, Peter's daughter. Danielle."

At the name Danielle Regina felt as if she couldn't breathe and the pain behind her eyes grew stronger. But she just nodded and made her way out the door and headed back towards her home.  
By the time that she had arrived at the door the pain behind her eyes had made it hard to stand, it felt like the world was closing in on her. And all because she had seen dream girl's piercing eyes. She was real, and her name was Danielle. Regina opened the door and pushed it behind her, hoping that there had been enough force for the door to close. She made her way over to the couch and laid down clutching her head.

Moments later her mother walked in the door, seeing Regina laying down quite unlike herself she ran over to her.

"Regina are you alright."

A tear made its way down Regina's cheek, she opened her eyes and looked at her mother. Her eyes full of pain, pleading and desperation.

"Help me" Regina whispered. Before closing her eyes again, the light was too painful.

"Regina what happened?" her mother asked again.

"She is real" was all Regina could say before the world completely closed in around her.

Cora looked around, hoping for a sign of what would put Regina in this state, but came up with nothing.

Hopeless and confused she closed her eyes and muttered the words, "Rumplestiltskin I summon thee."


	18. Chapter 18

**So I have decided to update again today. Mainly because I am excited by what is happening so I wanted to get the next bit written and since I have gotten three reviews since I posted the last chapter I figured there was interest. I would still love to get more reviews. What I said in the last chapter still holds true. I just want to know what you think, good or bad. **

**Also I changed things and in order to get to NYC they (Gold, Emma and Henry) are driving not flying, because by driving to Boston and then flying to NYC from Maine you save a little less than two hours. And that is not including the time it takes waiting around in an airport/security etc. And also doesn't include speeding and all that good stuff. So I think they should have just driven to New York so that is the new plan in case you are confused by the next chapter. **

**Enjoy**

* * *

The trio passed a sign green sign on the side of the road that proudly read, _Welcome to Massachusetts_

"Glad to be home?" Gold asked turning and looking at Emma

"To be honest, I'm not sure where home is anymore" Emma replied, Henry smiled in the back seat at this comment.

Gold was about to open his mouth and reply with some sort of clever comeback but instead found his head filled with another voice. _Rumplestiltskin I summon thee_. He shook his head but the voice came again, _Rumplestiltskin I summon thee_. And with the voice came a sense like he was being pulled back in the direction that they had come from.

"Gold are you alright?" Emma said as she continued to drive.

"I'm being summoned." He responded.

"You're being what?"

"Summoned, I am the dark one, Rumplestiltskin, it is what people do, they summon me."

"But I thought we had left Storybrooke, that there wasn't any magic."

"It isn't as strong, almost nonexistent. But just like there is a faint pull of gravity in the middle of outer space, there is still magic in me and out here, faint and unusable, but here."

Emma shook her head, she never understood Physics, and magic was just something that she had recently accepted to be a reality so she just decided to go with whatever Rumplestiltskin was saying. "Well can you tell where it is coming from?" she asked.

"Storybrooke." Gold responded.

"Well I could have figured that much out on my own thank you very much, I meant where in Storybrooke, is there a way to tell who is summoning you?"

"Oh yes, I know who it is" Gold responded. Emma just glanced over at him, she had long ago gotten sick of his games, the way he forced her to ask questions when he knew just exactly what she wanted to know. And the way that he would provide commentary when she would just rather him keep his mouth shut. After a moment, sensing that he was not going to win this round Gold finished his thought.

"It is Cora, she is at a 108 Mifflin street."

"Cora is back?" Emma asked

"But that's my house" Henry responded from the back, "what do you think it means?"

"I don't know kid, but Gold you can't just go if Cora calls, aren't you on a mission or something."

"Oh I wasn't planning on responding to her call." Gold responded.

"But what if it has to do with my Mom, what if something happened, we can't just abandon her."

"Henry we have no idea why Cora would be calling." Emma tried to reassure Henry. "Gold did you know Cora was back."

"Yes, she is how I know where to go." He responded.

"So she spoke to you, before we left?" Emma questioned.

"Yes" Gold replied, "and it seemed like our dealings were quite finished, but now she is calling, when I have better things to do."

"It could be because my mom is in trouble, please let's go and check. Then we can go back to find your son" Henry pleaded.

"Henry we're three hours away at least." Emma tried to reason with him.

"Then we better turn around now." Henry replied. Before adding in, "for me"

Emma looked at Gold, Henry had certainly sold her, and if she wasn't with him he knew the trip couldn't be successful.

"Fine but then we leave again. We will cross the town line, I will magic myself to Cora, see everything is fine and then we can turn back around, do we have a deal?" Gold asked.

Henry nodded and Emma pulled off and the next exit and made a U-turn.

* * *

Regina had started to have small fits in which she would thrash around an hour after Cora had summoned Gold. Her body was covered in a layer of sweat and her breath sounded labored. Every once and a while she would suck in air as if she only had the one chance to fill her lungs for the rest of her life. She had become lucid a couple of times, and explained something about piercing eyes, the library and Danielle. Cora was not sure what to make of it, other than she feared she would lose her daughter after everything that she had done to get her back. She considered bringing her to get help elsewhere, but the only people she knew of where the Charmings and she was quite certain they would not be in the helpful mood. She knew nothing of this land or what to do so she just sat by and watched as her daughter unfurl in front of her.

* * *

Regina felt like she was floating and being attacked all at the same time. It was if she had no control over her body, the pain that had started in her eyes had grown and become all encompassing. Her head felt as if it were pulsing, her middle as if it was being squeezed, and everything as if it was being consumed by flames. Occasionally the world that was spinning around her would turn to black and she found some solace in her mind. But the eyes that she had found in the library haunted her dreams. She would be walking through a castle and see the eyes staring at her from a baby wrapped and cradled in a crib, or from a toddler who slowly waddled or to her, from in a young girl riding a horse. But every time the eyes would find her and wake her up to the world of pain. Her mother was there. She held a cool cloth to her head and asked her what was going on, what had caused it. But Regina just wished she would have the answers herself.

* * *

Mr. Gold arrived in a puff of smoke. "You better have a good reason for calling me here dearie, because I have my own business to attend to." He took in the scene around him, his attention focusing on Regina, "what is wrong with her?"

"That is what I was hoping you could tell me Rumple, it is why I brought you here." Cora replied.

"You know people call me Mr. Gold here" he replied, as he stepped closer.

"I think Rumple suits you" Cora replied, "so do you know what is wrong with her?"

As Cora asked this Regina started to thrash about again, Gold raised his hand and immobilized her in strands of green magic.

"Is that helping her?" Cora asked looking over at Regina.

"Well it most likely isn't hurting her, all that movement was getting distracting, now did she say anything."

"When I first saw her, before she got this bad she said something about 'she is real' and now whenever I speak to her she says things about a girl and eyes, seeing someone in the library. She mentioned the name Danielle a couple of times." Cora replied.

"Her daughter?" Gold asked.

"Yes" Cora replied.

"The one that she took the potion to forget?" Gold asked again.

"Yes" Cora replied, tiring of all his questions.

"Did she drink the whole potion or just some of it?"

"What?"

"The potion to make her forget, did she drink all of it, every last drop?"

"How am I supposed to know, she had sent me through a looking glass by then, you are the one who gave it to her, why?"

"Because if she didn't drink it all, if she left just a drop there could be some…consequences, the potion I gave her was one of my earlier versions, before I had worked out the kinks."

"The kinks?" Cora asked.

"The potion is meant to find and kill, destroy all memories of a particular person. But in the earlier version there was a tipping point based on how much potion was drunk. If most of it was drunk the initial outcome would be the same, it would find the memories and mask them but it would not kill them. If she had drank the proper amount the memories would have been purged, deleted, and with it the potion. But my guess is she didn't drink it all. And the potion, the magic, is in her. And now thoughts of Danielle are fighting to be remembered. You mentioned her, now she is seeing her, mother's love or whatever you want to call it is fighting back. But I don't make my potions weak, I take pride in my work for a reason. It senses that its powers are in danger and it is fighting right back. It senses her questioning and it is trying to silence it."

"Even if it means killing her?" Cora asked gesturing to her daughter.

"Either way its work will be done." Mr. Gold replied.

"Well don't you have an antidote some way to undo it?"

"No, besides it has been in her system too long, it is almost become part of her now."

"Then give her more of the potion, so that she has the proper amount or whatever?"

"That wouldn't work either. Even if I did have a compatible version of the potion, which I don't, the battle going on within Regina has already begun, if you were to introduce more troops, well I don't think you would get the outcome you were looking for." Gold replied again.

"Then what do we do?" Cora asked, hating to sound so defeated and out of control.

"She has to remember, completely without any question." Gold replied.

"Then I will get the girl Danielle and bring her here." Cora said.

"That won't work, she needs to be convinced, have memories brought up gently by people she does believe in her relationship to." Gold asked.

"Like me, and you." Cora asked.

"Yes like us, and like Snow, it is unlikely that this will be successful without her help."

"She won't help, not if I asked, I'm fairly certain they are hunting for me right now." Cora said.

"Then I will ask, I can be quite persuasive when I need to be." Gold responded.

"And what is your price for this?"

"Whatever is going on in Regina may give me the answer to how to cure Belle, I require some things from her during the process."

"What sort of things?" Cora asked suspiciously.

"Nothing that she can't do without; hair, tears, and a few drops of blood. Now do we have a deal?" Gold asked extending his hand.

Cora looked over at Regina who was starting to struggle against Gold's magical restraints, a look of pain painted across her face.

"Yes we have a deal" Cora replied and she met Gold's hand and shook it.

* * *

**So what did you think? Do you like it? Hate it? Have any questions? Looking forward to a continuation?**


	19. Chapter 19

**Thanks for the support that I got from Chapter 17. I would love to hear what people thought of Chapter 18, and this one was well. Not so much happens in this chapter but I thought it was necessary. And I felt like writing. Perhaps this will prove to me not to write at midnight on a school night but anyways enjoy. Let me know what you think in reviews. And also in reviews let me know what you would like to see in the next chapter. Thanks! **

* * *

Mr. Gold knocked on Mary Margaret's door just as Emma and Henry were finally starting to unpack. Emma walked over to open the door, "Ah Gold, do I need to start packing again, you said you would be right back but.."

"Is my mom ok?" Henry interrupted.

"No need to start packing, I was actually here to see your mother Ms. Swan if she is around?" Mr. Gold prompted.

"Why were you summoned, is my mom okay, does it have to do with her?" Henry asked again, starting to get tired of being ignored.

"She will be fine Henry, but in order for that to happen I need to talk to Mary Margaret." Mr. Gold replied tensely.

"I'll go get her" Emma said, not wanting to make Mr. Gold wait any longer than he had to.

A moment later Mary Margaret hurried down the stairs, "Mr. Gold I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon."

"To be honest Ms. Blanchard neither was I, but if you wouldn't mind coming with me." Mr. Gold said gesturing towards the door.

Mr. Gold looked over at Henry nervously. He knew that if Henry knew of his mother's state he would have another problem on his hands.

"Hey kid why don't we go finish unpacking upstairs" Emma said, sensing Gold's preoccupation. Henry gave an annoyed look, knowing very well that whatever exciting was going on was happening downstairs. But after a moment and a dramatic sigh he allowed himself to be directed upstairs.

"So what is this about?" Mary Margaret asked, more pointedly this time.

"Regina is dying and she needs your help." Gold said quite bluntly.

"What?" Mary Margaret said, that was the last thing she expected Gold to say.

"You remember your sister?" Gold asked again.

"Danielle" Mary Margaret replied sadly, "I never quite forgave myself for her death, Regina never spoke of her after the funeral. I would try to bring her up, to apologize again but she acted as if she didn't exist."

"That is because she forgot her, she took a potion much like the one that you took to forget your Prince Charming."

A sudden look of understanding spread across Mary Margaret's face. "I always wondered why there was the sudden change…I remember her eyes never looked quite the same."

"Yes that is one of the effects" Gold responded.

"But I don't understand, you said that she was dying."

"Well Regina had an earlier version of the potion, and didn't finish it. She has recently been reminded of Danielle, she ran into her in the library. Now there is a battle going on within her between the memory potion and the memories of her daughter. And to put it rather bluntly it could very well kill her, unless she remembers."

"How did she run into her in the library, she died." Mary Margaret asked.

"Cora faked Danielle's death to stop Regina from running away. She was being raised by a couple of peasants."

Mary Margaret shook her head. It was a lot to take in. Regina was dying, her sister was alive. The child that she had felt responsible for her death had been living and growing the whole time.

"And I am supposed to help her remember? Why not just get Danielle you said she ran into her."

"She still doesn't quite believe in her existence. But she does believe in me, her mother, and you. And we all have memories of Danielle. If we can convince her of her existence, we may be able to save her." Gold explained.

"Regina believes that she wants to kill me, always has, what makes you think that she will listen to me?"

"She may not, but we need as many people who were there with Danielle and unfortunately there aren't many. I don't have anything to persuade you, I am just asking you to help Regina. Or shall I go and tell Henry that he should come and say good bye to his mother?" Gold asked.

"Of course I will try" Mary Margaret replied, grabbing her coat and heading out the door.

By the time that they had arrived back at 108 Mifflin Street Cora had removed the magical bands that immobilized Regina, as she had started fighting them too much earlier. Regina lay still, lost in a world a sleep that Cora knew would not last too much longer. Regina's face had turned pale and shimmered with the layer of sweat produced by the fever that had started due to the battle within her. Mary Margaret couldn't help but gasp at the sight. It had been years she had seen Regina looking this weak and vulnerable, not since Danielle's supposed death.

"Cora" Mary Margaret said nodding her head towards Regina's mother.

"Good to see you again Snow" Cora replied.

"Shall we get started" Gold asked, not waiting for a response before he pulled a chair over in front of Regina and sat down. He waved his hand in front of her face and her eyes shot open, they were bloodshot and swollen, looking around the room.

"What is she doing here?" She asked, her voice quiet and hoarse, looking straight at Mary Margaret.

"She is here to help you we all are" Cora answered, moving closer and kneeling in front of her daughter, placing her hand over Regina's.

"Regina, we are going to talk to you and I need you to listen, do you understand me?" Gold asked.

Regina closed her eyes wanting to retreat back into her mind. The pain was almost too much to handle. Gold waved his hand again and Regina felt the pain in her body disappear along with her ability to move.

"I need you to answer Regina" Gold repeated again.

"Yes" Regina finally said, hating even in this state to be told what to do.

"Good" Gold asked, rolling his eyes. He didn't know what he expected, Regina was Regina no matter what state she was in. "Cora would you like to start."

* * *

**So what would you like to see in the next chapter, let me know in the reviews.**


	20. Chapter 20

**I hope you enjoy this next chapter, Cora gets to share her memories of Danielle. As always I would love to hear what you think of it. In the next chapter Mary Margaret and Gold are going to have their chance to speak. So if you have any requests of suggestions let me know those in the reviews as well. Or PM if you don't want everyone seeing what you have to say.**

* * *

"Regina, when you were twenty three years old you gave birth to a child. The labor was difficult, but you did well, and so did your daughter. The King wanted to name her Eva, but you insisted that she be called Danielle. I assume that you named her after that stable boy you were so in love with, I tried to talk you out of it, but you were as stubborn about her name as you were with everything else, so her name was Danielle. You two were very close, I remember when the nurse came to take her from you, you sent her away, insisting that you would be able to care for her yourself. I talked reason into you on that case thankfully so you were able to get your sleep. But still you spent so much time with her. I thought you were coddling her. When she was learning how to walk she would stumble as babies do but you would catch her, you never let her fall. It drove me mad; to be honest a lot of things about your relationship drove me mad." Cora said.

"We are trying to tell Regina about her life with Danielle, not how you felt about it" Gold commented. Looking over to Regina and saw that she was still listening, her eyes open looking at her mother. In them was a look of disbelief and anger, perhaps at the lies that Regina believed that she was being told. But deep beneath it all he believed he saw a shimmer of recognition. He tried to sense how her body was talking all this news, if it was making the curse fight against her stronger but there was no way of telling. In order to Gold to make Regina listen, and be receptive, not distracted by her pain he had to numb her and paralyze her in the process. And although it hid the symptoms he knew it did nothing to delay the battle going on within her.

"Danielle was so smart, but she was slow to start talking." Cora continued. "You worried about it, thought that something was wrong with her. But one day she started talking, but not how most children do with short mispronounced words that gradually make their way into sentences. No she started right with the sentences. And once she got a hold of language she was quite the debater, quite like her mother. I believe she wanted to be just like you. It didn't help that she looked just like you. I remember when she was born and I looked into her eyes I swore they could have been yours, dark brown, like pools that you could get lost in. Once her hair started to grow it was dark brown as well, matched her eyes, she had beautiful curls when it was down but for some reason she loved braids. One of her favorite things to do was to ride horses, you were always with her whenever she did this of course. I don't think you wanted to believe it but you were quite the protective mother. The two of you would play a game that you called adventure time, in which you would ride horses and so for walks in the woods. Sometimes without any guards, it was really quite careless. On Danielle's fifth birthday you announced that you were pregnant again. But sadly not that long after you miscarried and almost died."

"I remember that" Regina said hoarsely.

"You talked about running away with Danielle once you got better. I think you saw me as a threat. But I couldn't have that, I couldn't lose my daughter. So I faked Danielle's death. One day when you were still recovering Danielle went out horse riding, and I made it look like she died from a riding accident. But actually I gave her to a family that had recently lost their own child, that I used and transformed to look like Danielle. It was on her funeral that you sent me through the looking glass." Cora finished her story.

Regina closed her eyes, trying to make sense of what was happening in side of her head. During her mother's story images had flashed through her head. Of a child wrapped in a blanket, holding a hand and she walked to the stables, and a very young girl riding a horse. This person felt familiar to her somehow but besides the familiarity she sensed nothing but a hollow feeling.

"Can you listen to more?" Gold asked.

"Well I'm not exactly in a state to protest." Regina answered.

"If you feel as though you can't handle it we will stop, but I believe it is best for you." Gold explained.

"I don't know how your stories can serve me but if it makes you happy by all means continue." Regina said.

"Mary Margaret I think it would be best if you were to go next" Gold said.


	21. Chapter 21

**I hope you enjoy this chapter. I don't think that there will be that many left in this story. So if you have anything to say, please let me know. I would love to hear opinions before I write and post the last sentence. **

* * *

"You want me to go now" Mary Margaret said, she hadn't thought this far forward in her role.

"Actually not yet" Gold said. "I need to collect some…data." Gold said.

"Data?" Regina asked weakly.

"What your body is going through can tell me a lot, your mother agreed to it." Gold answered as he approached Regina.

"I don't see how I can say no." Regina replied as Mr. Gold snatched a piece of her hair and storing it away. He need took her hand and pricked her finger, squeezing out a few drops of blood. When he let go of her hand it fell limply to her side.

"And now for a tear?" Gold prompted as he held a vial under Regina's eye. She blinked and let a tear fall, they were not hard to come by in her current state. "Thank you, Mary Margaret you may proceed" he said finally stepping back and taking his place as an observer

"I don't know what to say" Mary Margaret said nervously as she approached Regina.

"Just tell her what you remember about Danielle, anything could help to reinforce and bring back the memories." Gold replied.

"I promise I won't rip out your heart." Regina said, looking up at Mary Margaret expectantly.

"Ok. Well I remember when I found out that I was going to be a sister. There was so much talk around the castle, one of the most popular topics of conversation was guessing the gender. It seemed like everyone expected the baby to be a boy or wanted it to be a boy. But I wanted a sister more than anything. And when she was born and I found out that I indeed did have a sister I was so thrilled. And I loved the name Danielle. I remember just a few days after she was born, perhaps it was even the same day I laid my finger in her palm and she grabbed it. It was magical, I know it is so cliché, but it really was special. You stopped being so attentive to me after that, but it was a price that I was willing to pay. I always wondered before Danielle was born if you cared for me because you had to as my step mother or because you wanted to. We had some moments, but there always seemed to be a wall. And then Danielle was born and you had a daughter of your own. I still spent plenty of time with her though; the three of us spent time together. My father would sometimes refer to us as the three women in his life. He truly cared for Danielle, but he didn't spend very much time with her. After her death I think that is something that he regretted."

"Why don't you tell about one particular memory you have of Danielle and then continue from there." Gold prompted.

"I remember before her Christening, the two of us picked out a dress for her together. She behaved so well as we tried her in several different white dresses. I quite liked the one that I wore, it had been saved. But instead we picked a new one, it was inlayed with flowers and there were jewels sewn into the bottom. It was certainly fit for a princess. She was so small. When the two of you spent time together when she was an infant sometimes I would come in and tell her stories, some of the same ones that my mother told me. But I think the ones that she liked the most were the ones that I made up. They were usually about fairy princess sisters who went on grand adventures within their kingdom. I would whisper in her ear that when she got bigger we could go on adventures like the fairy princess sisters. When she got bigger, big enough to walk she spent more time with you and less with the three of us. But sometimes we would go horseback riding together. That was something that you always encouraged me to do after that time you saved me riding the horse. Before Danielle was large enough to ride by herself she would sit in front of you on your horse or sometimes in front of me on mine. She told me once that she felt like she was flying like the fairy princesses when she was on the horse.

Then you got pregnant again and as your mother said you lost the baby and were quite sick afterwards. Danielle and I were both heartbroken. She was so worried about you, and would ask me all sorts of questions. We spent a lot of time together that week, drawing mainly. By then Danielle had decided that she wanted to be the one telling me stories, not the other way around. She told stories of a princess who disguised herself, and pretended not to be a princess and saved the day and fought villains. Then one day she decided that she wanted to go horseback riding which was something that you were always present for. I told her to wait till you got better. But she was stubborn, when Danielle got an idea in her mind she stuck to it. So she went and asked you if she could ride and you gave your permission as long as she listened to me. But while riding I decided that I wanted to test my limits and ride fast. Danielle copied me, or I thought that is what caused the accident that supposedly killed her. I told you this after her death, it wasn't long after then that you stopped speaking of her. I guess that is when you took the potion." Mary Margaret finished.

Regina just stared at Mary Margaret, with a blank look.

"I'm so glad that she is alive and well and I hope that we can have some more time together… the three of us." She spoke again.

"We should go riding, it is so fortunate that Storybrooke has stables." Regina said in a voice that sounded like it came from somewhere else.

"Do you remember Regina, Danielle do you know who she is?" Gold asked her, wondering if it actually worked.

"I still owe her that game of adventure time; I promised we would go once I got better." Regina spoke again before he eyes rolled back into her head.

"What is happening to her?" Mary Margaret asked.

Gold waved his hand, releasing any of the magic on Regina that bound her, numbed her pain and paralyzed her body. But Regina continued laying there motionless. After a moment he simply said, "I don't know."


	22. Chapter 22

**So this is a big chapter, I really enjoyed writing it and would love to hear what you think. Also the story is very close to its end and I have a couple ideas on how to wrap it all up. If you would at all like to have a say in this PM me or say something in a review and I will PM you saying what I have in mind and asking for your thoughts. Thanks for the support and enjoy the chapter.**

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Cora grabbed Mary Margaret by the arm and dragged her out to the door, turning around to Gold before storming out the door and hissed, "Just don't let her die, I'll be back soon."

"What are you doing?" Mary Margaret asked shaken as they left the mansion.

"I am going to find Danielle, but I know my…limits. You are more well…you. People love you, you almost reek of good and that is something that I need right now. So we are going to get Danielle and bring her to her mother. I'm afraid I might have made a mistake all those years ago…but I can have my family back together again. I will have my family back together again." Cora finished.

"But Gold said…" Mary Margaret started.

"I don't care what Gold said. We did what he said, and it seems as if she remembers but not that she is in a better state, so now we are going to go by my plan." Cora said aggressively.

Mary Margaret shrugged, not knowing how to argue with the infamous Cora Mills.

"Now that we are agreed my dear, have you ever traveled by magic before?" Cora asked.

"No" Mary Margaret replied, as if she was surprised it could even be an option for a non-magical person such as herself.

"Well then this could be slightly unpleasant" Cora said before she placed her hand on the younger woman's shoulder and the pair disappeared in a cloud a purple smoke and reappeared in front of Danielle's home moments later.

"I talked to her father earlier, he knows about Regina being Danielle's mother and is supportive of her getting to know her family." Cora said before knocking on the door, Snow nodded her understanding.

Peter was at the door moments later, "You're back so soon." He said and after seeing Mary Margaret standing with Cora gasped, "I didn't even put it together…you were Snow White right?" Peter asked.

"Yes" Mary Margaret replied.

"So that would mean you are…"

"Her sister, yes" Mary Margaret replied.

"Forgive me, it is a lot to take in. When Danielle was younger she used to go on about how she was a Princess…we would insist she was lying, my late wife even used to punish her. But it was true all along." Peter said.

"Yes, but it is very important that Danielle come with us now." Cora said.

"Why?" Peter asked in a defensive tone.

Mary Margaret stepped forward a bit, in front of Cora. This is what she had brought her here for after all. "I can see you care for Danielle. And I do too…she is my sister after all and I just found out that she is alive. And so did her mother, who loved Danielle unconditionally, they were inseparable, I saw it. But Regina, Danielle's mother, needs her daughter now. Regina is sick and could very well be dying, and seeing Danielle could just be the thing to save her."

Peter looked at Mary Margaret separately.

"And if nothing else it would be good for her to see her daughter one last time." Mary Margaret said. Hoping that it was not going to come to that, but knowing that the one phrase could be enough to persuade Danielle's father and save Regina.

"All right" Peter said as he stepped further into his home and called upstairs for his daughter.

A minute later Danielle ran down stairs, her hair bouncing behind her. Mary Margaret couldn't help but cover her mouth to contain her shock and excitement. She hadn't realized how much she had missed her sister and hoped she could see her again someday. She had assumed that when she saw Danielle she would look like a stranger. She had prepared herself telling herself that the girl she would see was 13, not the five year old Danielle she remembered. But when she saw Danielle run down the stairs she couldn't help but see her five year old little sister in her as she ran excitedly around the castle. Cora looked on as well, with something that almost looked like a smile on her face.

Danielle stopped when she got to the landing.

"Danielle do you know these people?" Peter asked.

"I…I think I do, but I just can't place it" Danielle responded.

"You knew us back in the Enchanted Forest" Mary Margaret said gently, "we were a family."

Danielle's eye grew wide, all of a sudden as she realized who they were and who she was as well.

"Snow?" Danielle said.

"Yes" Mary Margaret replied with a laugh, "but here I go by Mary Margaret."

"And Grandma Cora" Danielle said turning and looking towards her grandmother.

"Yes dear." Cora said.

"I remember, you took me to live with them." Danielle said then turning to her father, "you told me that my family was dead, that I was making it all up. I am a princess" she said defiantly.

"Yes honey and I'm sorry we didn't know." Peter answered.

"And you never came to get me." Danielle said turning back to Cora and Mary Margaret.

"I thought you were dead." Mary Margaret said sadly.

"Why, why would you think that?" Danielle asked.

"Because I tricked them" Cora said, "Your mother wanted to run away with you, and I couldn't lose my daughter."

"So you gave me away?" Danielle asked spitefully.

"I always meant to come back." Cora said.

"You told me that my mother was dead, that she died in childbirth. Is that a lie as well?" Danielle asked.

"It was necessary" Cora replied.

"So she is alive then, my mother is alive?" Danielle asked.

"Yes, and that is why we are here Danielle. You see your mother is very sick and we think you might be able to help her."

"She is sick? Why?"

"She forgot you, after she thought you died she was in so much pain she used magic to forget you. But she started remembering…her love was too great. But magic is strong and dangerous and it made her sick. But seeing you just might be able to fix it." Mary Margaret explained.

"My mother is the mayor isn't she, I ran into her in the library. She seemed so familiar and when I touched her hand it was…like magic." Danielle said finally, not knowing how else to explain it.

"Yes your mother is Regina" Mary Margaret said, "now can you come with us?" she said holding out her hand.

Danielle started to hold out her hand as well, before pulling it back.

"She is the Evil Queen." Danielle said.

"I told you magic is complicated and dangerous. The potion she took to forget you changed her, changed her soul. But remembering you could bring it all back. And here she is different. She is just Regina, she is your mother" Mary Margaret said again holding out her hand.

After thinking for a moment Danielle reached back and grasped Mary Margaret's hand.

When they walked back in the door of 108 Mifflin street they found Regina laying where they had left her in the same state.

"No change" Gold said looking over and realized the party had gained one member, "still breathing."

Danielle walked over to her mother slowly. On the way over she had thought of everything that she wanted to say. She wanted to scream and hit her. Ask why she never came to find her, why she had let her live her life believing she was a princess but being told otherwise by everyone she meet, until she felt crazy and didn't know who she was. How she could choose to forget her. She had promised that they would go on adventures after she got better, but she never came. And she had assumed that Cora was right, that her mother had died. But she had been alive the whole time and on the walk over after a wave of relief that she did still have a mother she started hating her for her needless abandonment. But then they walked in the door and she was lying on the couch. Everyone else around her seemed so worried, but all Danielle could think was that she was real. And all she wanted in that moment was to have her mother back, not to yell and hit her, but just have her mom. And hug her, and feel what she had heard a mom hug could be like. Full of magic and warmth like nothing bad could happen.

"Mom" she said quietly as she neared Regina. "Surprise I'm not dead." She said again. "They told me what happened. I thought you were dead too." She looked down at Regina hoping to see some kind of recognition but she didn't move.

"Mom?" Danielle said again a little more frantically this time. Still Regina did not move. She bent down and shook Regina gently by the shoulders, but her mother's body just moved limply.

"You said we would have more adventures. I know a lot of time as passed since you last said that. I learned to read and write and stuff…now we're in Maine. But I think that can still happen what do you think?" She asked, tears forming in her eyes as she spoke.

Danielle looked up at the group. They were all standing together watching her hopefully. As if she was supposed to be able to solve this problem. Wake up her unconscious mother who she last saw when she was five and in another land. She had no idea what to do and she was starting to get scared.

"Keep talking to her" Mary Margaret said gently.

"Mom, do you remember when I was little you used to tuck me in before I went to bed. And before you left the room you made me kiss you on your cheek. I think you told me once you couldn't sleep without it? Well we are in a different place now and I'm really hoping things work the other way around, because you are sleeping pretty soundly right now, but I would love it if you could wake up." She leaned down and kissed her mother's cheek gently and then sat back up, looking desperately for a change.

"Should that have worked?" Danielle could hear Mary Margaret whispering in the background and she turned around. About to ask them if that was what she was supposed to do all along why didn't they just tell her that, not like it seemed it did any good.

But suddenly she was interrupted when she heard a gasp coming from were Regina and lying and turned around to see her mother's eye open.

"Danielle" Regina said, her voice did not hold any tone of questioning as it had before. She knew it was her daughter.

"Mom" Danielle said.

Regina pushed herself up. Her body felt sore, but the most of the pain had dissipated. She reached out her arms and Danielle happily went into them hugging her mother back. And it was true, the hug was magical, she felt safe, warm, accepted and loved.

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**Thanks for reading. Like I said PM me if you would like to give your opinion on where the story should go/how it should end. Although I said I have some ideas I am also open to suggestions. **


	23. Chapter 23

**Here is the final chapter. Please let me know what you thought of the story. It would mean so much to me. Thank you for everyone who stuck through it until the end. Thank you to EvilRegalTwinnies for allowing me to run ideas past you and all your help. I am thinking about writing a sequel to this, so please everyone let me know if there is any interest. **

**Warning: I may have broken my own sappiness rule while writing this chapter. I hope it is still good though.**

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Regina wanted to continue holding on to her daughter forever. She didn't realize how much she needed to feel her arms around her child all these years, but now she was here. With every second that passed she could feel herself changing slightly, becoming lighter as every last trace of potion that was in her system left.

Danielle let go first and pulled back, Regina did as well reluctantly. She looked into her daughter's face. She was so much older now, but she could still see the five year old inside. The eyes that seemed almost painfully piercing to her once were enchanting.

"You've grown up so beautifully" Regina said with a smile.

Danielle frowned, "You weren't there."

Regina broke down into tears, "I wanted to be…I mean I should have been but I…" she tried to think of a way to explain to her daughter her absence.

"You were under a curse I know, after grandma faked my death." Danielle said.

"Yes." Regina said, looking around the room for her mother, but only seeing Gold and Mary Margaret.

"Where is Cora?" Regina asked.

The group began to look around desperately. Although she had helped with remembering Danielle she was still the one who faked her granddaughter's death. She was still very dangerous. They all jumped with a knock came at the door.

"Mary Margaret would you mind seeing who that is?" Regina asked. The woman obliged and walked over to the door and opened it up slowly and was greeted by Henry.

"What is going on, why was Gold summoned, is my mom okay is she here?" Henry fired out the questions as he barreled into the room and stopped once be saw Regina sitting up on the couch, looking a bit more pale than usual.

"Mom are you okay, what is going on?" Henry asked as he walked over to her.

"Yes Henry I'm fine, I was just sick but I'm all better now you have nothing to worry about I promise" Regina answered, stroking her son's hair.

"Mom?" Danielle asked, surprised to hear someone else call her mother by that name.

"Who is this?" Henry asked curiously.

"Henry…this is Danielle. She is my daughter." Regina said.

"But how…when?" Henry asked confused.

"Back in the Enchanted Forest, during my marriage to the King." Regina said again calmly.

"You never said anything."

"I was under a spell, made me forget. Before I cast the curse my mother made everyone think Danielle had died in an accident but actually she was living with a family not too far away." Regina explained.

"So I have a big sister?" Henry asked with a tone of excitement.

"Yes you do, Danielle, this is my son Henry." Regina said turning to give her daughter more of the attention that she had missed all these years.

"So you're telling me that on top of the fact that I actually was the princess I thought I was all along, my mother is alive and turned into the Evil Queen who brought everyone to Maine, I also have a little brother as well?" Danielle asked.

"That would be me." Henry answered with a smile.

His enthusiastic response couldn't help but make Danielle laugh. "Has anyone ever told you that you're a bit strange?" Danielle said.

"About once a week." Henry replied back.

Regina smiled, when Henry first walked in the door she was worried that Danielle had thought she had replaced her. But she and Henry had already begun to find a rhythm it seemed. But looking into Danielle's eyes more she sensed that her daughter was just a bit uncomfortable.

"I think I'm gonna call my dad if that is okay, let him know what is going on." Danielle said.

"Of course, the phone is in the kitchen." Regina said, pointing the way.

Danielle nodded and walked out of the room, thankful to have some time alone to breathe. Everything that was happening was wonderful…but it was a lot to take in. Everyone was so happy and overwhelmed, but Danielle decided she just needed a moment to be.

A moment after Danielle left the room it was filled with a cloud of purple smoke as Cora appeared with a wooden box in her hands.

"Mother, where did you go." Regina asked

"I had to pick something up, once I saw you were okay" Cora replied, holding up the box in her hand.

"You took my daughter from me. You made me think she had died and gave her away to be raised by strangers" Regina answered, every word ripe with anger.

"It's a gift for you." Cora said as she stepped closer.

"Taking my daughter from me was a gift?"

"No, this box." Cora said handing it to her. Regina looked down at its polished wood and engraved lid. She knew what it contained, there were no other uses for boxes like this, she opened it and saw a beating heart inside.

"Whose heart is this mother?" Regina asked.

"It is mine." Cora replied with something that almost looked like a smile. Regina looked on dumbfounded, "Love is weakness or so I was told, and I had to get rid of my weakness so I ripped by heart out." She glanced over at Gold as she said this. "That was before you were born Regina, before I married your father even. And ever since then I haven't been able to act using my heart. Only using my head, and what seemed logical. I used my head to determine what was best for you. Which was to become queen, it told me that I must do anything to keep you with me and on that path to queen; even if that meant killing your stable boy and faking your daughter's death. But now I can see, logically, that I was wrong. That hurt you, it almost killed you now. So logically I can't make decisions or be a mother with just my head, so I am giving you my heart. That is my love Regina, because I think you just might have been right, love is strength."

Regina could not believe the words that were coming out of her mother's mouth. They almost sounded like an apology. She looked her mother in the eye and could not sense any kind of deceit or ulterior motive waiting for her. So she picked up her mother's heart, holding it gently in her hand before plunging it into her mother's chest and returning it to its proper place.

Cora stepped back slightly her hand instinctively went to cover the place that Regina's hand had just been. But she was not in pain…but she _felt_ for the first time since she was simply the Miller's daughter. She smiled up at her daughter.

"Regina"

"Mother" Regina said with a smile so large. Because in her mother's eyes she saw what she had been searching for her whole childhood; love, unconditional love from the woman who gave birth to her.

"Where is my granddaughter?" Cora asked, "I have so much to apologize for."

"I'm here" Danielle said as she stepped out from behind the corner from where she had been listening, "my dad is coming by if that is okay?"

"Of course it is." Regina said.

"Danielle, I'm so sorry. What I did to you and your mother was wrong but…"

"You didn't have your heart." Danielle answered.

"Yes." Cora replied.

"I forgive you." Danielle said moving closer. Regina wrapped her arm around her, not wanting to let her go. Cora moved forward slowly, not wanting to scare away the acceptance that she felt she was unjustly receiving from the two people she hurt most, and also loved most. Regina reached out her other hand and pulled her mother into a hug. It was awkward, the three generations that had never been much for showing affection not quite knowing how to behave but also compelled by the need to hold each other as if a hug would make sure the family did not fracture again.

Danielle looked back into the room. Gold was making is way to the door and Henry and Mary Margaret stood close by. "Hey siblings, get your butts in here." She said to them with a chuckle. Mary Margaret didn't need any more of a welcome before she dragged Henry over to join the huddle.

The sound of a throat clearing came from near the door. "I'm sorry I didn't need to interrupt it was just Danielle called me and…"

"Dad" Danielle said walking over to him. "I would like you to meet my family"


End file.
